Boom!
Thunder shattered the night sky, and the raindrops falling from the sky were the size of peanuts, hitting people painfully.
Sam's group of four was still running crouched down in the street. They had found their group, and besides the four of them, there were many other people running alongside them.
Among these people, some were holding umbrellas, some were carrying briefcases on their heads, and some had even lost their shoes, hopping and tiptoeing across the flooded streets.
Everyone was fleeing, or more precisely, escaping from that group of madmen who were randomly shooting and killing people.
Lightning flashed across the sky, and after each clap of thunder, Sam felt the raindrops around him shatter. The downpour seemed to pause for a moment, only to intensify again a few breaths later.
"Run! They're coming!"
"The gunman is right behind us!"
The words, which came from an unknown source, instantly caused panic among the crowd who were wading through the water, who screamed and tried to rush forward.
Sam and his group shielded Laura in their path and followed the crowd, struggling forward through the dimly lit streets!
"Ah!"
"Ah!!!"
They ran for what seemed like forever, until Sam's voice was hoarse and his stomach was cramping from shouting, before they finally saw a patch of lights ahead.
Under the lights, police officers holding shields formed a dense formation, vigilantly pointing their guns at the crowd outside.
"We... are saved!"
After saying that, Sam almost fainted from exhaustion, and it was only thanks to Laura that he was able to catch his breath.
This is the New York Public Library.
Amidst the chaos and disorder in the city, some police officers from various stations, equipped with their gear, retreated to this location, where many panicked citizens also gathered.
After being searched, Sam and the others lined up to enter the library lobby.
The place was packed with people, the ground was covered in dirty water stains and mud, everyone was soaked, and the air was damp and smelly...
But compared to outside, there's no torrential rain, no shootings; it's practically paradise on earth.
Sam found a spot against the wall and was about to sit down and rest when JD, who had just left, squeezed in. "Turn on the radio."
What?
"Turn on the radio. We need to stay informed. The TV in the library is broken, so I'm sure there's something on the radio that we should pay attention to..."
"Oh oh!"
Exhausted, Sam pulled a radio from his backpack and handed it to JD before collapsing, panting heavily.
People around immediately gathered around when they saw the radio.
Not just JD, they also want to know the latest news.
"Hurry up and turn on the radio!"
"Is no one going to come and rescue us?"
" New York has become a den of monsters. Those cops are wasting our tax money. They should find a way to get rid of those gunmen!"
"We have already abandoned..."
The surrounding voices rose and fell, all of them pessimistic wailing.
Despite the pressure, JD turned on the radio.
Fortunately, the backpack was waterproof; after a series of squeaking noises, the radio started playing.
"This is the Navigator Space Station, and we are broadcasting to North America from low Earth orbit."
We have received the latest instructions from the Mutual Aid Society headquarters. Just one hour ago, the Mutual Aid Society decided to accept the invitation to launch a rescue operation in North America. We will now do our best to provide assistance to the people in the north.
"Next, we will forecast future weather changes. Please take precautions..."
This broadcast brought tears to the eyes of many people around.
"I was so stupid, really. I knew it was just acting on TV, but I kept telling myself that nothing would happen..."
Everyone stared blankly at the radio, which was constantly broadcasting weather forecasts. They heard news of tornadoes here, torrential rain there, and hail in some other place, and they all regretted not having left earlier.
They live in New York City, where they are always well-informed, and were arguably one of the first cities to learn about the climate catastrophe.
They had always treated this as a joke, but unexpectedly, in the last couple of days, they themselves have become the joke.
Sam wrung out his clothes, wrapped himself in a blanket, and came back, staring blankly at the radio again, thinking of his father and mother once more.
Everyone present was filled with remorse, almost speechless, and unsure of what to do next.
Until a mechanical voice came from the radio:
"We have observed an unusual tsunami wave in the Atlantic Ocean, rapidly heading towards the east coast of North America. It is expected to reach various locations around noon today. Residents of coastal cities are advised to take precautions, prepare sufficient supplies, and move to higher ground. Cities expected to be affected include Boston and New York..."
Before the radio broadcast had even finished, the crowd had already erupted in cheers.
"I... is a tsunami about to hit New York?"
"Mother--"
We must leave immediately!
The people, who had just been relatively calm, suddenly became restless again.
Sam forced himself to glance at the clock on the wall.
It was exactly 5:00 AM.
That means there may only be a few hours left before the tsunami waves arrive...
Laura was almost in despair. Exhausted, she leaned against Sam, closed her eyes, and remained silent.
JD shook his head, listening to the heavy rain outside, the raindrops sounding like they were falling on a lake. "Given the current situation, there's no way we can escape New York, not even with a car."
Brian's already dark face turned even more ashen. He agreed with JD's assessment: forget about a car, even a plane wouldn't be able to escape in the current situation.
"We need to prepare for the tsunami now, everyone!"
Wandering Spacetime.
The United Government's emergency mobilization has been responded to.
A joint team of 150,000 people from 37 underground cities in Europe and the Americas was dispatched to the Day After Tomorrow Spacetime to carry out a rescue operation.
In the preparation areas of underground cities across three continents, flags of the Mutual Aid Society and the United Government, along with national flags, hung from the ceiling.
Below were rows of cold-weather vehicles and numerous soldiers lined up in neat rows. These soldiers, about to set off, listened silently and attentively as the clerk in front of them explained the mission, but secretly, each of them had already clenched their fists.
The atmosphere in the air had become extremely tense.
They travel to another dimension to carry out a rescue mission, a dimension whose order is on the verge of collapse, and whose cities are teeming with armed serial killers...
call--
After the clerk finished speaking, he had revealed all the details of the mission, from the potential dangers to the rewards they could receive.
He looked at the team members and could see hesitation in their eyes, but determination was also present.
This mission was fraught with difficulty and danger, even for them, who were seasoned veterans.
If possible, no one would willingly venture into danger, but for scarce resources and space for civilized survival, they can disregard all risks.
This is a silent answer.
"Let's get ready to go." The clerk managed to squeeze out the words from his dry throat, then took the lead in putting on his helmet.
brush!
Many soldiers also put on helmets and boarded the vehicles next to them in a solemn and orderly manner, according to their assigned crews.
The appointed time has arrived.
The Spacetime Tunnel opened in thirty-seven underground cities.
"Set off!"
"GOGOGO--"
The vehicle's engines started, the tires slowly turned, and the procession of 150,000 people crossed the boundaries of time and space...
Half an hour ago.
The Day After Tomorrow Spacetime.
Zhang Tianyuan has returned to the command center in China.
Wang Lei and Elder Zhong were both in the shelter.
"Things are starting to get out of hand in Europe..."
Zhang Tianyuan picked up a glass of water and drank it down. Since his body was strengthened, he felt a rare sense of fatigue, but this fatigue was more of a mental exhaustion.
There are just too many things to deal with during this period.
Just now, he opened Spacetime Tunnel for five shelters in Europe, allowing the people inside to transfer to No. 2 Spacetime.
The storm in Europe is intensifying and has no end in sight. Four of the five shelters felt they were about to collapse and voluntarily requested to evacuate.
The last one was reported by the command center after they discovered they were out of contact.
Although after contact was re-established, he learned that the shelter could actually continue to operate.
However, to avoid any unforeseen circumstances, it would be best to ask them to leave as soon as possible.
Zhang Tianyuan discussed the current situation with Elder Zhong and Wang Lei, and they all agreed that as the storm intensifies, the number of shelters in Asia and China that need to be relocated will increase rapidly.
This is just the beginning.
After finishing his water, Zhang Tianyuan shared the firsthand news he had brought back:
"According to reports from the Navigator Space Station, they witnessed unusual hurricane activity in Australia from space, and..."
Furthermore, its level and power are approaching those of Hurricane Nonali.
"I reckon the whole world will be in turmoil from now on..."
Zhang Tianyuan sighed.
The fact that Australia would also experience a hurricane was an oversight on his part, mainly because the movie didn't mention it much. Although the meteorological calculations did include this event, there were misjudgments regarding the hurricane's strength and path.
This sudden super hurricane was formed by the merger of several smaller hurricanes, and in a short period of time it swept across the entire habitable area of Australia.
So things aren't going well for Australia either.
It's estimated that many people have lost their roofs.
"By the way," after finishing discussing the situation in Australia, Zhang Tianyuan suddenly said to Wang Lei, "The rescue team from No. 3 Spacetime will be arriving in North America soon. Captain Wang, please take command of these people."
"Although there have been many unexpected developments in China and Europe, the overall situation has stabilized. The newly arrived rescue teams, however, need a leader familiar with the situation. You can select some people to lead them."
Wang Lei nodded, agreeing to the matter.
"Then I'll go prepare now."
"I'll go with you, and check out the situation at the shelter too."
The two handed the scene over to Elder Zhong and other staff members, then got up and left.
Walk outwards from the command center.
Although the temperature inside the shelter remained around 10 degrees Celsius due to external influences, everyone had to wear thick cotton-padded clothes or down jackets to maintain their body temperature.
However, this did not have any impact on everyone. The atmosphere in the shelter was lively, and novel movies and documentaries attracted the attention of many parents of children.
If people weren't interested in those, some gathered to play cards or mahjong, and Zhang Tianyuan even saw people playing Go and chess, as well as a theatrical troupe setting up a stage in an open space...
Except for the absence of firecrackers, life in the shelter felt just like Chinese New Year.
Passing through the emergency exit, people were still being brought in on stretchers from time to time; they were mostly survivors who were freezing to death.
Upon further inquiry, it turned out that they were all discovered by the emergency response team patrolling outside, who then got out of their vehicles and rescued them.
There is no doubt that these people were either left behind or did not want to enter the shelter.
Seeing their miserable state, Zhang Tianyuan sighed. No matter what the situation was, there was nothing more to say now.
Wang Lei quickly assembled a command team in the shelter, ready to travel to North America at any time.
However, he suddenly remembered that there were still some things he hadn't done.
Slap! Slap!
He clapped his hands, and soldiers herded a large group of wailing, howling people over.
Zhang Tianyuan frowned, while Wang Lei, with his usual cold expression, explained, "These are people we identified earlier who have a strong desire to return to China, so we plan to grant their wish and bring them back to North America."
Although Wang Lei kept speaking in Chinese, the foreigners who were kicked out still guessed his general meaning and immediately started crying:
"NO! I don't want to go back now. Let me go, I want to stay here!"
Please, please don't send us away...
Some people even knelt down.
As the storm intensified, they regained their senses.
Especially when they took advantage of the emergency passage opening and saw the world covered in snow and wind, and heard about some compatriots who had been urgently brought in, they were instantly awakened by the cold.
The temperature outside has really dropped drastically!
They are now in the safest place possible!
Those who had previously been clamoring to go back immediately stopped mentioning it and even went into hiding.
Unfortunately, Wang Lei had already prepared a list.
Zhang Tianyuan glanced at them and saw that all the men who had been driven over by the soldiers were young and strong.
Seeing this, he nodded, indicating his agreement with Wang Lei's approach.
"You are all young and strong. Now that your motherland is in trouble, this is not a place for you to stay. You should go back."
A simple sentence amplified the wailing of these people to an even greater level.
However, the more these people cried, the more annoyed Wang Lei became. With a wave of his hand, someone would go over Barry something into their mouths to mute them.
Jack was among those waiting to be deported.
Unlike others, he only got his current spot to return to China because of Liu Chunshi's connections.
He couldn't wait to get back to New York to see his son.
Just as he was becoming increasingly anxious, Wang Lei finally began to announce the arrangements, "We will place you in Washington and put you under the management of your official organization..."