Chen Shouyi walked out of the old-style apartment building, carrying his bow case and sword case.
Fine snowflakes swirled down. It was already snowing outside. Chen Shouyi restrained the urge to use his talent, letting the snowflakes fall on him. After only a few steps, his shoulders were already dusted with white.
What awful weather.
It had been getting colder and colder these past few days.
He exhaled a long stream of white breath, hung the bow case and sword case on the handlebars, unlocked his bicycle, climbed on, and hurried home.
This was the outskirts, a good thirty or forty kilometers from his home. If he didn't hurry, it would be dark by the time he got back.
From time to time, he passed relief stations set up by the municipal government.
They were packed with people, and long lines stretched outside the doors. Some people held umbrellas; others simply let the heavy snow fall on them. In the freezing weather, everyone was bundled in coats or down jackets, yet they still shivered, their faces bluish purple.
People still couldn't withdraw money from the banks, and most companies had shut down completely. With no source of income, and many people having barely any savings, most lived paycheck to paycheck.
Without relief, all of Hedong City would probably descend into chaos in an instant.
Chen Shouyi remained silent, pedaling hard as he sped along.
Three canvas-covered Steam Trucks came toward him.
White smoke billowed from their fronts, which looked like the engines of old-fashioned trains. Connecting rods linking six pairs of wheels turned continuously, making an enormous racket. Chen Shouyi stared blankly at the hulking vehicles and only came to his senses after they had passed him.
He got back to the residential complex at five. It had just grown