Having enjoyed the conveniences brought about by technological advancements, even if the volcanic winter is long, as long as they can endure it, people can continue to utilize the existing technological capabilities.
People who have used washing machines before, even if they can't use electricity afterwards, will create and manufacture semi-automatic washing machines based on the same principles as washing machines.
Those unable to use high-speed rail, because the rail lines still exist, can later re-lay the tracks and switch to the coal-burning steam trains of the past.
But this strange organization regards knowledge and science as heresies, seeking to eliminate those who possess knowledge.
They only want ordinary people to know nothing, understand nothing, and believe everything their organization says.
Previously, the domestic bases maintained contacts with some overseas institutions, but after this incident, there are few places left with the capability to conduct research and experiments.
The domestic bases have lost contact with overseas.
The indiscriminate massacres overseas have resulted in severe casualties among scholars and researchers, and the survivors simply dare not reveal any of their professional knowledge.
This also means that the progress or breakthrough that people have hoped for to resolve the predicament will be a long time coming.
Because of this incident, the Southern Bases have begun to purge extremists, another wave of cleansing.
At the same time, they have increased security for research areas, and in some places, researchers have even been directly sent to the Sunshine Base in the south.
Many research projects have also been forced to stop, with some of the remaining projects going underground, meaning they have also stopped publicly.
Since Wen Qian received no news, she didn't hear about these things.
But even if she knew, she wouldn't find it strange.
Because they are human, Wen Qian is not overly surprised by any actions humans take.
In the past, some melodramatic scenes on TV would often shock netizens, but in reality, events happening in real life are often more melodramatic than novels and TV shows.
Wen Qian understood this early on, so she is not shocked by any actions humans take.
Of course, there are also some clear-minded people among them, and in the midst of chaos, some secretly help researchers.
They also know that what they don't understand is someone else's expertise, so although they have doubts, they don't go so far as to destroy others.
Aside from lending a hand to hide them until it's safe, they can't do much else.
But it is precisely their respect for knowledge and their own kindness that has helped others overcome difficulties.
Some scientists related to agriculture, after learning about these incidents, also had a solemn atmosphere in their laboratories.
They even suspected that one day they might also be harmed by the falling blade.
The Sunshine Base is located in an advantageous position, and before the volcanic eruption, many domestic seeds were used for experiments and cultivation in that area.
Many ordinary people there knew that there were many experimental fields here that could not be easily destroyed, and that the people working in the fields and farms were doing important work.
After the volcanic winter, the significance of this place became even greater, and the people and scientists here greatly respected each other.
Because they knew the importance of food to humans, especially in the global cooling environment.
The locals did not need the organization to explain, but would spontaneously maintain the peace and tranquility of this area.
If any strangers appeared here, they would definitely drive them away or report them to the organization.
Some researchers escorted here from other bases, upon seeing the respect the people at the Sunshine Base had for intellectuals, felt the gloom in their hearts dissipate slightly.
At least, not everywhere was inhospitable to them.
Unfortunately, after this incident, it's unknown how much the development process has been delayed, and some personnel and equipment losses are irreplaceable.
After July ended, Wen Qian no longer expected to be able to grow crops, and could only hope to grow a few more vegetables in the last two months.
So she scattered some seeds of various radishes and cabbages.
In previous years, these were what she grew in autumn at her hometown, generally to eat during the winter.
The growth cycle was about the same, and even if winter came early and they didn't grow too large, Wen Qian felt that being able to harvest some vegetable leaves would be fine.
There was no more extreme weather after that, and Wen Qian's vegetables grew smoothly. Afraid that the wind would damage the leafy greens too much, Wen Qian even set up soil slopes or barriers on the windward side of the vegetable plots.
Wen Qian still grew vegetables in the previous traps, but occasionally saw some small animal footprints, without any other traces.
Wen Qian thought maybe it was just a one-time new person's luck.
By September, the cabbages had grown into good shapes, and Wen Qian's careful watering and fertilizing had not been in vain.
After a few more days, Wen Qian took a knife and started cutting the cabbages.
After harvesting the cabbages and storing them in her space, she went to pull up the radishes.
When she originally scattered the seeds, she didn't use too many, being very economical.
So there were few seedlings in between, not too crowded, and the radishes had grown quite large by now, even larger than what Wen Qian grew in her hometown's fields, which she was quite satisfied with.
In the past, when eating these round radishes, the green leaves would be used to feed the pigs, while the white radishes would be cooked with meat.
Now, Wen Qian couldn't bear to throw away a single leaf, leaving them to make pickled vegetables. It didn't matter if they tasted good or not, as long as they were edible.
She put most of her leafy greens directly into her space, and when taken out they were still fresh and crisp.
But she would make pickled vegetables and dried vegetables from them periodically, as traditional methods of preserving vegetables were essential preparations.
For example, the fresh fish and meat in her space, she would also take out a portion to make salted fish and cured meat.
The purpose was so that on a certain day, if she encountered others, she would not arouse their suspicions.
For a single person in these conditions to always eat fresh food would indeed be stranger.
The potato harvest this year was also not very good. The stems and leaves previously exposed outside had been damaged, and it took some time for them to regrow. As a result, the potatoes all grew to small sizes, about the size of chicken eggs or quail eggs.
But it didn't matter, Wen Qian consoled herself, at least she had something to dig up.
The wheat she grew had a severe reduction in yield, but fortunately she didn't grow much, so it was something.
Wen Qian wasn't worried about not having enough to eat, she was worried about not having any income.
Whether it was vegetable leaves or wheat stalks, as long as there was something to eat and use, and she could store it in her space, she wouldn't have to worry about running out of food.
For her, climate change was not a nightmare, but rather the horrific event would be one day when her space was completely empty.
Two consecutive years of reduced or zero harvests, and the population in the plateau areas kept decreasing.
What Wen Qian didn't know was that the nearest Mangge City had already become a ghost town.
