LOSS System: Last Store Standing

At the shelter, Dale called Roy and Simon over. After putting on their protective gear, the two carried the two PCCUs beneath the canopy to the underground space. Dale stayed behind and used the CUEV’s communication system to contact the trading post, asking them to send over two energy-storage units.

Reed soon arrived at the shelter in a CUEV with the energy-storage units. Elias came with him.

“What’s going on?” Elias asked after getting out.

“Jack’s inside the shelter,” Dale said. “You can ask him.”

Dale then had Reed drive the CUEV to the entrance while he followed Elias into the shelter.

The entrance had yet to be improved. It was too low, and the floor beneath it was still a sloping stretch of clay. After entering the underground space, Roy and Simon placed the two PCCUs in different locations before returning to the entrance.

When they saw Reed arrive with the energy-storage units, they immediately went to help unload them.

Roy and Simon carried the two units underground and connected each one to a PCCU. Once they confirmed that everything was properly connected, they switched on the machines one after another.

A faint mechanical hum filled the space, and cool air soon began flowing from the vents.

With the PCCUs running, Roy and Simon followed the same route back to the surface.

Once they returned to the shelter, Roy told Jack that everything was working.

Jack nodded.

“All right. Thanks.”

Elias had already learned what was happening. He didn’t stay long and soon returned to the trading post with Reed.

For the next several hours, everyone remained inside the shelter. Warren continued revising the plans for the underground clinic, while Walter and Colt took inventory of the tools nearby.

By noon, Dale put his protective gear back on, picked up a camping light, and headed underground to check the temperature.

The others waited inside the shelter.

Before long, Dale returned with the thermometer. After entering the shelter and removing his protective gear, he said, “It was twenty-nine degrees when I checked.”

Jack immediately smiled.

Warren nodded as well.

“That’s cool enough to start working.”

Dale was about to contact the trading post and ask them to send over the wooden pallets when Jack suddenly said, “Tell them to send another two PCCUs and energy-storage units too.”

Everyone looked at him in confusion.

“What do we need more PCCUs for?” Warren asked. “The temperature is already low enough.”

Jack grinned.

“If they work, why not turn the place into an air-conditioned room?”

No one knew what to say.

Warren pointed at Jack and repeatedly shook his head.

Jack didn’t care.

“We have the equipment. Why wouldn’t we use it?”

Warren stared at him for a moment, but no response came. In the end, he simply stopped paying attention to Jack and turned to Roy.

“Get a few people together and set up the canopy over the entrance first.”

By then, the sunlight outside had become unbearably harsh. There was no cover around the entrance, and the surrounding clay had grown scorching hot beneath the sun. Once construction began, anyone moving pallets and tools in or out would have to spend time exposed to the heat.

Roy and Simon called Aaron and Toby over. After putting on protective gear, the four carried the canopy and its supports to the entrance and began setting it up.

They first positioned the supports around the entrance and secured them in place, then worked together to spread the canopy overhead.

One side hadn’t been pulled tight enough and dropped the moment they released it. They had to adjust the support and raise that side again before securing it properly.

After some effort, the canopy was finally stretched across the entrance.

A broad patch of shade fell over the area, covering not only the entrance but also creating a place nearby where pallets, tools, and other construction materials could be temporarily stored.

Simon and the others walked around beneath the canopy and reinforced several points that still seemed unstable.

Only after confirming that the canopy wouldn’t obstruct anyone entering or leaving did they return to the shelter to prepare the first batch of pallets and tools.

Dale used the CUEV’s communication system to relay Jack’s request to the trading post. At the same time, Roy and Simon called several others over. After putting on their protective gear, they headed to the entrance ahead of the delivery.

They waited beneath the newly erected canopy.

It wasn’t long before several CUEVs loaded with supplies arrived one after another. In addition to the two PCCUs and energy-storage units Jack had requested, the cargo beds held the first batch of wooden pallets, tools, and other construction materials.

As soon as the vehicles stopped, everyone began unloading. The pallets were stacked neatly on one side of the canopy, while the tools and other materials were gathered on the other.

Roy and Simon each lifted a PCCU and carried it down through the entrance. After placing the two machines in different locations, they returned to the surface and carried the energy-storage units inside.

Once everything was connected, they switched on the PCCUs one after another. A faint mechanical hum filled the underground space, and cool air soon flowed from the vents.

They also checked the first two PCCUs, making sure all four machines were operating normally before returning to the entrance.

By then, everything had been unloaded from the CUEVs. The pallets and tools remained beneath the canopy for the time being. They would be carried underground once the entrance had been improved.

Before long, Warren, Walter, Colt, Jack, and Megan put on their protective gear and came over from the shelter.

Following the plan they had discussed, they began by improving the entrance. Several people carried tools inside, while the others remained beneath the canopy to receive the clay being sent out.

Only a few people could work inside the narrow entrance at once, so they had to take turns. The person farthest inside began by removing the excess clay overhead. Each portion of clay they removed was passed outside, then moved aside and piled together by those beneath the canopy.

As the clay overhead was gradually cut away, the low entrance slowly grew taller.

Warren checked the height as the others continued working farther inward.

Once the overhead section was finished, they began widening both sides of the entrance. The dry clay was extremely hard, and only small amounts could be shaved away at a time. Progress was slow.

After working for a while, the entrance that had once forced everyone to bend over had become considerably more spacious.

Warren walked through it to confirm that the height and width were sufficient. Only then did they begin reshaping the slope beneath their feet.

He marked the position of each step directly on the clay. Following those markings, the others began at the top and gradually carved level steps downward. The clay removed in the process was carried outside and added to the existing pile.

The first step took considerable time to complete.

They cleared away the loose fragments and leveled the tread again. Only after confirming that it wouldn’t shift beneath their weight did they move on to the next one.

One clay step after another gradually extended underground, transforming the steep and awkward entrance.

Once the final step had been completed, the entrance looked entirely different. The group could finally begin carrying the pallets stored beneath the canopy inside.

Working in pairs, they carried the pallets down the steps. Once they reached the underground space, they removed their protective gear and took the pallets directly to the location Warren had selected.

They first leveled the ground, shaving down the slightly raised sections and clearing away the loose clay before setting the first pallet in place.

Another pair soon arrived with the second pallet.

Once the two pallets were properly aligned, Walter and Colt immediately secured them together. The others pushed from several directions to make sure nothing shifted before allowing the next pallet to be brought in.

The third and fourth pallets were stacked on top.

After each new layer was added, Walter and Colt secured it in place again while the others steadied the pallets from different sides to keep the stack from tilting.

As the pallets rose layer by layer, a broad support column gradually took shape in the middle of the underground space.

For the final few layers, they had to stand on wooden boxes to continue fastening everything together. Warren checked the remaining height overhead and asked for another pallet.

When the final layer was in place, only a small gap remained between the top of the column and the ceiling.

Walter selected several suitable pieces of wood and fitted them into the gap one by one. They took turns hammering the pieces in until they were firmly wedged, then secured them to the uppermost pallet.

Only after the final connection was finished did everyone gradually release their grip.

Walter walked around the pallet column before pushing it firmly from several directions.

The entire structure remained steady.

Warren examined the top, then checked the lowest pallet before finally nodding.

“Good. Keep using this method.”

Several people immediately brought over more pallets and began preparing the next support column.

With the first pallet column as a reference, the rest of the work proceeded much more smoothly.

Using the same method, they stacked and secured whole pallets one layer at a time. After a while, several broad support columns stood throughout the center of the underground space.

Once they were satisfied with the main supports, everyone began working on the surrounding clay walls.

Pallets were stood upright and secured along the smoothed walls. After the first row was in place, several crossbeams were installed to connect the upright pallets to the support columns in the middle.

With the pallets and crossbeams secured, the group began preparing the clay filling.

The hose originally used to spray water over the ground for cooling was moved near the entrance. Whenever they needed water, someone carried a bucket to the entrance and filled it there.

The others gathered the clay removed while smoothing the walls and floor, added a small amount of clean water, and mixed it until it could be packed firmly.

The prepared clay was pressed little by little into the gaps between the upright pallets and compacted with tools. After working for some time, they had already completed most of the first wall.

Warren didn’t have them move on to the other walls yet. He wanted them to finish this section first and wait for the clay to dry before confirming how well it worked.

Without anyone noticing, the sky beyond the entrance gradually darkened.

Jack stopped working and looked at the others, who were still busy around him.

“That’s enough for today. We’ll continue tomorrow.”

Everyone gradually stopped. They gathered the tools they had used and returned to the surface.

After working all day, they were exhausted. Several people sat down the moment they stepped beneath the canopy.

Jack and Megan didn’t remain there. After briefly saying goodbye to the others, they drove the CUEV back to the convenience store.

The refugees collecting supplies would probably arrive soon, and they still needed to prepare the potatoes for that night.

Back at the convenience store, Jack filled several sacks with potatoes while Megan tied each one shut. Whenever a sack was ready, Jack carried it out and loaded it onto the CUEV.

By the time all the potatoes were prepared, darkness had completely settled outside.

They drove the CUEV to the fence entrance and parked inside to wait.

Before long, headlights appeared in the distance. A CUEV slowly emerged from the darkness and stopped outside the fence.

Two refugee representatives got out and walked to the entrance. Jack had them load the prepared potatoes onto their vehicle.

They quickly moved the sacks into their CUEV, but instead of leaving as they had before, they remained where they were.

One of them tried to speak several times, only to swallow the words again. The other glanced at him, apparently urging him to get on with it.

Jack waited for a moment before asking, “Is there something else?”

The two exchanged a look and finally stopped hesitating.

One stepped half a pace forward and looked at Jack.

“Jack, there’s something we’d like to discuss with you.”