Fortunately, there were some distinctive buildings that could serve as markers, like the chastity archway in front of the village. These wouldn't change shape due to the snow, becoming their landmarks. Otherwise, they might have doubted if they had passed this way before.
Gu Qingcheng estimated their travel time. At their current pace, it would take another ten days to reach Jinsha City.
However, observing the extent of the snowmelt around them, Gu Qingcheng felt somewhat assured.
Since these areas, which were at a lower elevation than Yasan, were not submerged, Yasan must also be safe.
Yet, the further they walked, the more things felt off. They felt hot, sweated profusely, and grew fatigued, a sensation akin to heatstroke.
Gu Qingcheng checked the temperature notification in the system and was startled. Unbeknownst to them, the temperature had risen to 27 degrees Celsius, which explained why the surrounding snow had almost completely melted.
Gu Qingcheng noticed that as they traveled northward, the white snow piles along the road had almost disappeared, revealing damp rooftops and tree canopies that had been covered by snow.
The dilapidated villages along the roadside remained just as they were, with no signs of life. The melting snow hadn't prompted anyone to return or settle there.
Gu Qingcheng understood that the area had been severely impacted by the natural disaster, its vitality greatly diminished, making population recovery a slow process.
Of course, even if people did return, they would still be in peril.
After all, no one else had received the divine revelation like she had, foreseeing the future melting of the snow.
Before the snow melted, one advantage was that all perishable items were frozen, preventing them from emitting foul odors.
But now, with the snow melting, the natural icebox was no longer functional. The air was filled with the stench of decay.
Without a doubt, it was the smell of decomposing animal and human remains.
Too many people had died, and the government was powerless to handle the situation. By this point, no one was managing it anymore.
Helpless, Gu Qingcheng took out masks and gave one to Mi Guo, hoping to filter the contaminated air.
Wearing a mask was stifling, but it was still better than breathing in the foul stench.
Mi Guo said, "Sister, wouldn't it be great if we could take a boat? It would be faster, and the air would be much better."
"Alas, there's nothing we can do. Later, when the great floods begin, we'll also face the crisis of water pollution."
Gu Qingcheng thought about the mountain spring that served as the water source for Fenghuang Village. She wondered what it would become after the floods.
At this thought, she counted her current 'Shuang Points' and found they had reached a staggering 920,000.
These points were derived from the system's rewards for villagers seeking refuge in Fenghuang Village, as well as daily rewards from managing village affairs.
Normally, due to the sheer volume of system rewards, Gu Qingcheng had muted the system's audio notifications and only reviewed her points before sleeping.
Since she had few opportunities to spend Shuang Points recently, she hadn't tallied them in a long time, and the unexpected number surprised her.
Gu Qingcheng felt that the system's request for her to establish Fenghuang Village was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Besides aligning with her desire to create a living base for her family, another factor was that the more she interacted with people, the more likely she was to gain Shuang Points.
Otherwise, living as she had before with her parents and Mi Guo on Yasan, taking care of a cat and a dog, their peaceful life offered limited Shuang Points, not the thousands she sometimes earned in a single day now.
Therefore, the system deemed her interaction with others and sharing of her resources essential.
It was a mutually beneficial relationship: she interacted with people to earn a large number of Shuang Points, and with those points, she could redeem supplies, which she then provided to the people she interacted with, thus earning more Shuang Points.
It was a virtuous closed-loop cycle.
Gu Qingcheng realized that if her experiences were written as a novel, readers would surely call her a saint.
Gu Qingcheng touched her nose and thought, "I am not a saint."
She only hoped that those who criticized her wouldn't end up in such chaotic times. Otherwise, if they met a non-saintly protagonist as they wished, they would starve to death.
They were walking too hot, so they chose a shaded spot by the roadside to sit down. Taking off their masks, Gu Qingcheng retrieved a bottle of iced 'Happy Fatty Water' from the storage cabinet and handed it to Mi Guo, saying,
"It seems we need to stockpile a large amount of fresh water. If our water sources become polluted one day, and people have no water to drink, it will be disastrous."
"Sister is always thoughtful," Mi Guo replied.
While resting, Gu Qingcheng spent 300,000 Shuang Points from the mountain cat supermarket to buy the cheapest bottled mineral water, Binglu, at one yuan per bottle. Thirty thousand bottles, each 550mL, should suffice for a period of drinking water needs.
Affordable and high-quality mineral water was an excellent choice for stockpiling. As for imported brands like Evian, Gu Qingcheng felt they weren't cost-effective and so didn't hoard them.
Looking at the storage cabinet full of bottled water, she felt much more at ease. Although her Shuang Points had decreased by 300,000, Gu Qingcheng felt it was well worth it.
A person could survive for seven days without food, but less than three days without water. Water was far more important than food.
Because of the extreme heat, neither of them had much appetite for a meal. So, Gu Qingcheng took out two slices of iced watermelon and a bowl of chilled Tremella and Bird's Nest soup, adding ice. They slurped it down, feeling refreshed.
During their rest, Gu Qingcheng also bought high-end sun protection gear: a hat, feather-light sun-protective clothing, and a large tube of strong sunscreen. She applied it to all exposed skin.
She prepared a similar set of gear for Mi Guo.
When Mi Guo saw Gu Qingcheng applying sunscreen, he thought it was something good and fragrant and followed suit.
After applying it, Gu Qingcheng told him that this cream would prevent him from getting tanned.
Mi Guo heard this and said dejectedly, "If I had known, I wouldn't have applied it."
"Why?" Gu Qingcheng asked, confused.
"Young men who are too fair don't look good."
Mi Guo's skin was naturally fair, and people often praised him, saying he looked like a young girl.
While others might have seen it as a compliment, Mi Guo felt it made him appear weak and somewhat helpless. He wished he could get a dark tan like Yan Xin and the others, to look more manly.
Gu Qingcheng chuckled at his thought and patted his head, saying,
"Alright, you're still young. Don't worry too much about external things. I believe you'll grow up tall and strong."
"Huh? Really? Will I grow tall?" Mi Guo asked, surprised and delighted.
"I don't misjudge," Gu Qingcheng said with certainty. "People with long calves usually grow up to be tall."
Mi Guo's eyes lit up at this.
He was afraid of being short and having fair skin, which he felt didn't project strength.