Chapter 25 The Flood Season
The lingering chill of the extreme cold, like the final gasps of a dying giant, relentlessly dragged down the pace of time. But the natural cycle, or rather, the chaotic and disordered climate shifts of this apocalyptic world, are beyond human control. After nearly two weeks of slow and torturous snowmelt and gloomy cold, the true test of this season finally revealed its ferocious fangs.
It wasn't the cold, but the water. An endless expanse of water, seemingly threatening to engulf everything.
At first, the weather simply became more oppressive, with leaden clouds hanging low as if they were about to press down on the roof of the fortress, the air so humid you could wring water out of it, and a sticky, earthy smell permeating the air. Then, the wind died down, and an unsettling stillness enveloped the world. The humidity monitor inside the fortress began to climb slowly but steadily; even with the powerful dehumidification system running at full capacity, the lingering dampness in the air remained palpable.
Wen Yu stood in front of the control panel, looking at the regional weather cloud map and atmospheric pressure data displayed on the screen. Huge, swirling vortex clouds were gathering overhead, their color a deep purple, indicating immeasurable rainfall. Satellite imagery showed a massive rainstorm band forming, its trajectory pointing directly towards this region.
"It's going to rain heavily," he said to Su Ran, who was monitoring the perimeter. His voice was calm, but his tone carried an undeniable gravity. "It's not ordinary rain. It could be a continuous torrential downpour. The snow hasn't completely melted, the surface's absorption capacity is saturated, and with the mountainous terrain… the risk of flooding is extremely high."
Upon hearing this, Su Ran immediately turned to look at Wen Yu, a hint of tension flashing in her clear eyes, but more so a focused intensity that quickly ignited within her: "Flood? Will it reach here? The foundation of the fortress..."
"The main structure of the fortress is located halfway up the mountain, and the foundation has been specially reinforced and waterproofed, so the risk of direct flooding is not high." Wen Yu pulled up a 3D structural diagram of the fortress and pointed to several key points. "However, the impact of flash floods and mudslides, backflow of accumulated water, and the extreme pressure on the drainage system are the main threats. Our drainage system is designed to withstand a once-in-a-century event, but this rain…" He looked at the chilling deep purple on the cloud map and didn't finish his sentence.
He immediately sprang into action. He retrieved all the design drawings and real-time monitoring interface for the drainage system. The fortress possessed a complex and redundant drainage network: organized drainage ditches on the roof and platforms led to buried pipes; ground-level drainage channels, a combination of open and covered drainage systems, converged into several large sedimentation tanks; intercepting ditches around the buildings guided the flow of water down the hillside; all pipes ultimately converged into a main drainage culvert located deep underground, equipped with a powerful pumping station, discharging the water further downstream into the valley. Key nodes were equipped with water level sensors and flow velocity monitoring.
"Activate the full-power operation plan for the drainage system. Check all drain outlets and grates to ensure there are no obstructions. Close all non-essential vents below one meter from the ground and activate the waterproof sealing mode. Check the waterproof seals between all cable ducts and equipment." Wen Yu quickly issued the orders while operating the control panel, displaying the monitoring screens of the drainage system and several key locations on the main screen.
Su Ran immediately stood up: "I'll go check the ground and the drainage outlets in the lower areas!" He remembered where fallen leaves and silt from melting snow might accumulate.
"Put on your protective rain gear, be careful, and don't leave the main area of the fortress," Wen Yu instructed, his eyes never leaving the screen. He himself began to check the status of key internal nodes such as the underground pump station and the water tank connections one by one.
Su Ran quickly put on the spare waterproof jacket and rain boots Wen Yu had given him, grabbed a flashlight and a long-handled hook, and hurriedly left the control room. His figure appeared on the external monitoring screen as he nimbly moved along the drainage ditches and flood interception channels around the fortress, carefully clearing away the occasional broken branches and accumulated silt blown by the wind, his movements swift and meticulous.
Wen Yu watched the slender figure bustling about in the increasingly gloomy sky on the screen, his eyes flickering slightly, but he quickly turned his attention back to the internal systems. He started the backup diesel generator to ensure the drainage pumping station had sufficient power in case the heavy rain caused problems with the mains backup power line. He checked the safe house's independent drainage and sealing to make sure everything was in order.
Preparations were just completed when the first drop of rain finally fell.
It wasn't a "drip," but a "smash." Large, heavy raindrops pounded against the fortress's roof, walls, and bulletproof glass, the sound dull and startling, instantly merging into a deafening roar. The sky seemed to have been ripped open, and murky, yellowish-gray rain poured down like a waterfall, completely obscuring vision within seconds, leaving only a shimmering, blurry, roaring gray-white expanse outside the window.
Noise levels inside the fortress spiked, but the excellent soundproofing system filtered most of the torrential rain into a low, continuous rumble, as if a giant beast was frantically charging and scratching overhead and all around. The air vibrated, and even the ground seemed to resonate faintly.
The drainage system emitted a low hum of heavy load. The data stream on the screen began to jump rapidly. The flow rate in the roof drain pipes instantly surged to 70% of the design value, and the water level in the ground drains rose at a visible speed, with murky water carrying broken branches and leaves rushing past. From the direction of the mountain, a thunderous sound came from the intercepting ditch, as rainwater flowing down the slope was being forcibly diverted to both sides.
Wen Yu stared intently at the screen. Everything was still under control, but the pressure was immense. He switched to several preset flash flood monitoring cameras. The images were shaky, but he could see that the once dry or trickling gullies had become raging, roaring, brownish-yellow torrents, with water levels rising wildly, crashing against the banks and sweeping away anything loose.
The torrential rain showed no sign of stopping; in fact, it intensified, as if trying to unleash all the rain that had accumulated over the past few months. One hour, two hours… alarms began to sound from the cameras in the low-lying areas outside the fortress. The floodwaters were overflowing the drainage ditches and spreading towards the foundations of the building. Although the fortress's foundation was higher than the surrounding ground and had a flood barrier, the continued soaking would put long-term stress on the structure.
"Mr. Wen! The drainage outlet on the west side seems to be lagging behind; the water is almost over the flood threshold!" Su Ran's voice came through the internal communicator, filled with the noise of rain and anxiety. He had just returned from cleaning up a round of areas, soaked to the bone, his raincoat dripping with water, and his face splattered with mud, but his eyes were fixed on the monitor screen.
Wen Yu looked to the west and, sure enough, at the edge of a low-lying platform, water had formed a small pool, approaching the waterproof sealant layer of the building's exterior wall. "Start the backup powerful drainage pump on the west side," he ordered, while manually adjusting the opening of several nearby drainage valves to optimize water flow distribution.
The hum of the underground pumping station intensified. The water level on the west side began to recede slowly.
But the crisis was far from over. The torrential rain continued for a full day and night, with only brief, slight breaks before intensifying again. The fortress, like a lone boat adrift on a raging storm, stubbornly resisted the fury of nature thanks to its sturdy structure and sophisticated systems.
The biggest test came on the evening of the second day. A localized landslide occurred on a mountain upstream, caused by continuous torrential rain and snowmelt. Although small in scale and not directly impacting the fortress, a large amount of mud, rocks, and broken timber were washed into the ravine, blocking a crucial natural flood discharge channel downstream.
Monitoring footage showed that the water level in the valley downstream of the fortress began to rise abnormally and rapidly! Backwater pressure surged up along the drainage culvert, causing a sharp increase in the outlet pressure of the main drainage pumping station, and the alarm lights began to flash glaringly!
"Downstream blockage, drainage obstructed!" Wen Yu's heart sank. This was one of the worst-case scenarios. If the main drainage pipe burst due to excessive pressure, or if the water pump burned out from prolonged overload, the fortress could be flooded by backflowing floodwaters!
"Switch to backup drainage path! Activate emergency pressure relief valve!" Wen Yu forced himself to calm down, his fingers flying across the control panel. The fortress was designed with backup emergency drainage outlets located at a higher elevation, but the flow rate was small. At the same time, he activated several pre-set pressure relief pipes leading to the cliff face on the side of the building, directly draining some of the accumulated water towards the precipice to reduce pressure on the main system.
The pressure reading on the screen slowly decreased, but remained high. The noise from the water pump had become somewhat shrill and unsettling.
"At this rate, the water pumps won't last long, and our water storage may also be contaminated." Su Ran had been standing by the side, his face pale, but his eyes were unusually clear. He pointed to the murky floodwaters on the screen, "Even if the drainage holds up, if the flood continues to back up, and if our water storage seal fails or the water purification system gets flooded, we'll be in trouble."
He hit the nail on the head. The fortress's water source was independent and enclosed, but it was not absolutely invincible. The risk of sustained high pressure and pollution remained.
"What are your thoughts?" Wen Yu looked at him, not minding brainstorming at a time like this.
Su Ran bit his lower lip, his gaze quickly sweeping over the spare supplies and tools piled up in the corner of the control room. A resolute glint flashed in his eyes: "We can't just rely on draining water outwards. We need to find a way to obtain an additional, internal safety net before the flood truly threatens our internal water source." He quickened his pace. "Our water purification system is powerful, but it's only for relatively clean water. If the floodwaters carry large amounts of silt, germs, or even chemical pollutants back into the water, even if the seal doesn't break, we won't feel psychologically safe. I'm thinking... to build a simple, multi-stage filtration emergency water purification device near the water source inlet, in a relatively safe and dry place, just in case... just in case there's a need, we can quickly obtain clean drinking water, even if the quantity is small, it can be used for emergencies."
Wen Yu immediately understood his meaning. This was preparing for the worst-case scenario, adding an extra layer of safety. "What do you need?"
Su Ran quickly rattled off a list of items: "Several clean large buckets or water tanks, sand and gravel of varying coarseness, activated carbon, clean fine gauze and cotton cloth, some pipes, and... alum or other flocculants, which may be in the warehouse."
"Go get it. I authorize you to enter the equipment room and secondary storage area." Wen Yu said without hesitation. "Be careful, and be quick. Need any help?"
"No need, I can manage!" Su Ran said, then turned and rushed out of the control room, a water stain rising from the hem of her soaked windbreaker.
Wen Yu continued to monitor the drainage system data, while also diverting some attention to watch through the camera as Su Ran quickly and precisely searched for the necessary items in the warehouse and equipment room. His figure moved between the shelves, his movements calm and focused, without any panic.
Soon, Su Ran dragged several large plastic boxes and a pile of materials to a corner of an equipment room that was close to the water source but also in a higher, dry, and well-ventilated location. This place was convenient for obtaining raw water and was relatively safe.
Wen Yu zoomed in on the surveillance footage of that area. He saw Su Ran roll up his wet sleeves, revealing two slender, fair, yet remarkably steady arms. He first quickly washed several large buckets, then began to assemble them methodically:
The bottommost bucket, with holes drilled in the bottom to connect a drain pipe, serves as the final water collector. On top, another bucket is stacked, with a layer of washed, finger-sized pebbles at the bottom, followed by a layer of finer pebbles, and then a thick layer of coarse sand. Next, he carefully spread the activated carbon granules he found evenly on the sand layer, then covered it with another layer of fine sand. The top layer consisted of several layers of dense cotton cloth and fine gauze.
He didn't simply stack the layers; instead, he carefully calculated the thickness and proportion of each layer to ensure that the water flowed evenly, with sufficient contact area and filtration time. He also prepared a small solution using the alum he found, explaining that if the raw water was too turbid, the alum solution could be added first, stirred, allowed to settle, and then the relatively clear water on top could be introduced into the filtration device.
The entire device looks crude and rudimentary, completely incomparable to the top-of-the-line reverse osmosis water purification system built into the fortress. However, its principle is clear, progressing step by step, utilizing the most basic physical filtration and adsorption principles. In extreme cases, when high-tech equipment may fail or be unable to handle heavily polluted water sources, such a seemingly primitive device may be the key to survival.
Su Ran was focused on his work, beads of sweat glistening on his nose, his long eyelashes drooping, his profile appearing both gentle and resolute under the overhead light. He checked the flatness of each layer of the flooring, tested the drainage pipes for blockages, and occasionally wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. His focused concentration, his practice of survival wisdom, possessed an indescribable allure.
Wen Yu stared at the screen, watching the young man who swiftly found a solution in the crisis and meticulously executed it. Something deep within him seemed to gently stir, a soft and comforting feeling. Su Ran's value had once again been demonstrated in a way that exceeded his expectations. He was not only a chef, a gardener, and an observer, but also a reliable survival partner with quick wit and strong practical skills.
Once the setup was complete, Su Ran connected a pipe to the backup water source sampling port of the fortress and introduced a small amount of simulated turbid water. The turbid water passed through layers of filtration, and its flow gradually slowed down, but the water that finally flowed out from the bottommost guide pipe was visibly much clearer.
Su Ran used a small glass bottle to collect the last of the water that flowed out. He examined it carefully against the light, then brought it close to his nose and smelled it. Finally, a faint, relieved smile appeared on his face. He looked up, seemingly only then realizing that a camera was watching him. Somewhat embarrassed, he waved the bottle in his hand towards the camera and mouthed, "It seems... it's okay now."
Just then, an even more urgent alarm sounded from the main control panel! The bearing temperature of the main drainage pump was too high, and it was about to trigger the forced shutdown protection!
Wen Yu's eyes sharpened. Ignoring everything else, he immediately intervened, adjusting the operating parameters and starting another backup pump. After a flurry of activity, the main pump's temperature slowly dropped, preventing a shutdown. However, the pressure remained immense.
The torrential rain continued to pour down, seemingly without end. But inside the fortress, thanks to more thorough preparations and the presence of his partner who always brought unexpected joy, Wen Yu's taut nerves seemed to relax slightly.
He switched the call channel and said to the young man who was still in the equipment room, guarding the filter, "Well done. Now, go back and change into dry clothes and cook something hot. I'll keep an eye on things here."
Su Ran listened to Wen Yu's steady voice coming through the noisy rain, looked at the bottle of water in her hand that she had filtered herself and made clear, glanced up at the control room, and softly hummed in agreement.
The floodwaters were raging, and danger lurked everywhere. But within this sturdy fortress, they each held their positions and faced the challenges head-on. He grew fresh vegetables, cooked delicious meals, offered helpful suggestions, and now, under the threat of flooding, he has personally built a barrier to ensure safe drinking water.
Su Ran carefully stored the filtered water and then obediently left the equipment room. As he walked down the corridor, he could hear the deafening rain outside and the deep, resonant hum of various systems operating at full capacity deep within the fortress. But what was even clearer was the gradually settling sense of security and courage within him—the feeling of facing everything side-by-side with another person.
Back in the living quarters, he quickly washed his face, changed into dry clothes, and then went into the kitchen. He boiled a large kettle of water, preparing to cook a pot of warming soup. Outside the window, the rain poured down like a waterfall, as if trying to cleanse the entire world, or perhaps destroy it entirely.
But soon, the kitchen was filled with the warm aroma of food. The water in the pot bubbled and gurgled, like the faint yet tenacious heartbeat in this apocalyptic world.