This was the job assigned to the community workers and volunteers. It sounded simple enough, but in practice, it was time-consuming, exhausting, and dangerous. One mistake wasn't just a matter of getting hurt. If the protective suit was damaged, or if the gas mask wasn't secured properly, the consequences could be fatal. This really was a job where people were risking their lives.
Even so, the payment for it was just two packs of instant noodles and one bottle of mineral water. It sounded like something straight out of a story about exploiting laborers, but in truth, this was already considered quite generous—though no one realized it yet.
Everyone was focused on the wages. But Lan Jin, who had lived through the apocalypse before, had a very different set of priorities.
Once the poisonous fog in a building was cleared, neighbors could move freely between floors. Naturally, households that had food would soon draw attention from those that didn't. And once that kind of situation began, it wouldn't stop. It would only escalate. This building would soon get very lively.
Lan Jin had already prepared herself for this. She had long since adjusted her mindset. No matter what happened, her goal remained the same—stay alive with her daughter. As long as others didn't overstep, she wouldn't cause trouble. But if anyone lost their sense of boundaries, they'd only have themselves to blame.
—
Once the volunteer list was confirmed, the community staff wasted no time. They went door to door, delivering protective suits and gas masks to each volunteer.
The community staff still had a sense of humanity. These volunteers had been trapped in their homes for a full week. Not everyone had enough to eat, and without food, how could they have the strength to work? So when handing out the equipment, the staff also gave them a bowl of self-heating rice and a bottle of water.
As for people who might take the food and refuse to work, the community wasn't worried. They'd just deduct the food from that person's next round of aid. And at the same time, anyone who pulled a stunt like that would be blacklisted. Once on that list, there was no getting off it.
For now, though, everyone behaved. After receiving the supplies and finishing their meals, they gathered at the community entrance at the appointed time.
Community workers assigned everyone based on their residential buildings. Simply put, if you lived in a building, you worked on that building. They had recruited with this plan in mind. First, people would care more about the building they lived in. Second, no one knew when the fog would clear completely. Each building would need a designated building lead in the future, and it would be easier for the community to communicate if someone was already assigned.
This arrangement worked well for everyone. The volunteers felt better cleaning their own buildings—it gave them and their families peace of mind. If anything happened, they could notify their loved ones right away. So people were happy to go along with it.
Once the teams were divided, the work officially began. Under the staff's guidance, the volunteers first set up a canopy and two layers of curtains at the building entrance. Then they entered the complex. Two people started on the first floor, while another two headed up to the top floor to seal the doors.
The elevators were still functioning, but only up to the thirtieth floor. The two heading to the top had to walk up the final three floors. As they climbed, one of them started complaining.
"Seriously, this building's design is nuts. Who even lives on those last three floors?"
"People do. Every building has residents up there. Housing prices are so high now. Most folks spent their entire life savings just to buy a place. What else can they do? They can't sell it, no one's buying. Living there's the only option."
"Still feels like a bad deal. Paying that much for something like this."
"Shh, quiet down. You don't want anyone hearing that. It's too quiet in the building. If someone does hear it, that won't be good."
"Alright, alright. Just be careful, don't fall. I almost tripped just now."
Hearing the voices outside, Lan Jin knew the community team had already started work. She had anticipated this. When the volunteers were being recruited, she'd already pulled down the curtain she had hung outside. Once the fog cleared, it would be hard to explain why her floor had a curtain if someone noticed.
That night was far from peaceful.
To get supplies to residents as soon as possible, the fog extraction machines ran non-stop throughout the building corridors the moment the sealing was done.
Lan Jin had used a fog extractor before. Hers was a small one, barely louder than a hairdryer. Even if someone heard it, they wouldn't think much.
But the machines the community was using were different. They were high-powered, with strong suction, which naturally meant loud noise.
If she had to compare, it was like running three vacuum cleaners at once. That kind of noise filled the air the entire night, moving from building to building. Even if someone wanted peace and quiet, it was impossible.
And yet, despite the noise, not a single person complained in the building group chat. When dawn came, someone finally broke the silence.
"Hey, with all that noise outside, how come no one said anything? I've been waiting for someone to complain."
"You're just mean. We know how to appreciate things. The community stayed up all night to help us get aid. How could we say something that'd hurt them?"
"Well said. I admit, I was thinking the same. I waited in the group chat ready to go off on someone, but nobody showed up. Looks like everyone's being pretty reasonable."
—
Morning arrived, and the fog-clearing operation finally came to an end.
Of course, just because the fog was gone didn't mean the building was safe. The poisonous fog detectors still hadn't been installed. That job alone took all morning.
By noon, the community staff finally made an announcement in the group chat.
"This building is now clear. Poisonous fog detectors have been installed on all floors. Supplies are available on the first floor, but for safety reasons, the first round will be distributed door to door by staff. Please prepare your household registration book and residency permits in advance. This will help speed up the process."
As soon as the message was posted, someone in the group chat asked:
"What about the bodies? When are you going to remove them?"
The staff responded calmly.
"Once the registrations are complete, we will contact the cleanup team to handle it. Please remain patient."