Magic Space: Struggling to Survive in the Apocalypse

"The Fourth Base has quite a few salt mines. Our base even traded for several dozen tons from them last year. Salt is like a weapon—you can’t live without it. If you go too long without salt, you’ll suffer from neurological damage, muscle atrophy, and osteoporosis."

The base has over a million people. Even the refugees in the camps used to get a piece of salt the size of a fingernail each month.

"That’s right. Back when we were at Wyrmrest Base, I remember a group of refugees arriving who had gone so long without salt that not only was their hair falling out, but all their teeth had fallen out too."

"Quincy’s right. A salt deficiency in the body causes hair loss, and teeth will naturally fall out." Liam Sterling sighed again. It was his tenth sigh since he’d arrived.

"How much salt can we get for this serum?"

"Twenty or thirty tons, probably. The Third Base and The First Base will also need to trade for twenty or thirty tons each, so we won’t have to worry for the next year.

The other bases are having a tough time too, especially The Third Base. They have three hundred thousand refugees who are full of grievances. A lot of people died this time because of the bacteria, and the base didn’t provide any treatment. In their anger, tens of thousands of refugees gathered and started a riot. They charged into the base with machetes, but the base has a lot of weapons. The refugees just became living targets. Mr. Chase said that the rioting refugees from The Third Base were almost completely wiped out. Now, the refugee camp is full of hatred and fear for the base, and there will probably be a second major riot."

"That base certainly has a lot of underlying problems," Evelyn Ford agreed with a nod.

"By the way, are there no salt mines around our base?"

Liam Sterling shook his head. "There were, but we exhausted them shortly after the base was built. To find more salt mines, we’d probably have to search several hundred kilometers away. But with the thin oxygen and the cold wind bacteria, looking for mines without a clear destination is just a suicide mission."

After hearing Liam Sterling’s words, everyone fell silent.

"I still have things to deal with at the administration building, so I’ll be going now. I heard Mr. Vance and Mr. Lowell are helping in the hydroponics room, so I brought some oyster mushroom spawn. You can grow them yourselves. These oyster mushrooms are very easy to cultivate. Once the mushrooms sprout, they’ll be ready to eat in a week."

"Is this a new variety developed by the base?" Evelyn Ford was very interested in the spawn in the bag.

"Yes. The base still has many professors and experts from agricultural colleges. They’re not just cultivating new varieties of mushrooms, rice, corn, and wheat; they’ve even developed second, third, and fourth-generation melons, fruits, and vegetables. Haven’t you noticed? The crops at our base grow exceptionally well, and it’s all thanks to them."

Evelyn Ford had a moment of realization.

"I’m heading back now. I’ll come back and let you know if there’s any other news."

Evelyn Ford nodded at him. "Thank you for your hard work."

"You’re too kind."

After Liam Sterling left, Evelyn Ford took out one of the grow kits and began to study it. The kit contained a lot of spawn. When she opened the plastic film, she could smell the rich scent of mushrooms mixed with the faint odor of rotting branches.

"Put it by the river in your space. After you tear off the plastic, just spray a little water on it, and the oyster mushrooms will start growing in a few days. Cultivating mushrooms is very simple."

"Liam Sterling is so hardworking. He’s busy as a spinning top every day, never getting a moment’s rest."

Quincy even felt a little sorry for Liam Sterling. He used to think being the Commander’s assistant was so prestigious, but now... ’It’s the apocalypse, and Liam is still just an employee. How pitiful.’

"The base has become their responsibility now," Taylor Vance said with a bitter smile. "Whether they want to or not, whether they’re tired or not, they have to grit their teeth and keep the base running. In any era, there are always people who make selfless sacrifices." ’Wasn’t I the same way back at Wyrmrest Base?’

"If only the sun would come out. If the sun came out, people wouldn’t have to work so hard," Wendy said with a wistful expression.

"The sun will come out eventually." Evelyn Ford patted Wendy’s shoulder. "You’ve been studying too hard lately. I’ve noticed you have a habit of squinting when you look at things. Are you becoming nearsighted?"

Wendy grew nervous. "Evelyn, does being nearsighted mean I can’t study medicine anymore? I don’t want to give up halfway. I want to be as skilled as you, able to not only process medicinal herbs but also save people."

"You can still study medicine if you’re nearsighted, but you wouldn’t be able to perform acupuncture or surgery. The slightest deviation could lead to a terrible mistake. I’ll check your vision in a bit and prepare an herbal pack for you. You can apply it as a compress over your eyes for half an hour before you sleep each day."

Wendy nodded. She had a lot on her mind lately. Not only was she breaking out with acne on her face, but her vision was also getting worse. She was suddenly losing confidence in herself.

Evelyn took the grow kit into her space, sprinkled some water on it, and set it aside. She would check on the results in a week.

After a quick tour of her medicinal field, she went into the laboratory to prepare the medicine for Wendy. Wendy’s acne was somewhat severe; the pimples on her chin had already spread to her neck. Moreover, she couldn’t stop herself from scratching them, and once they broke, they left scars.

Wendy had a delicate and pretty face; she couldn’t let it be marred by acne scars.

* * *

Inside the hospital, more than ten doctors surrounded the first few patients who had received the serum injection. Their ulcerated limbs had been saved. The doctors said that as long as the bones and nerves weren’t necrotic, new flesh could regrow even if the muscles had rotted away.

The few patients were all very young. For a while now, they had all thought they were going to die. Whenever they were conscious, they were either crying or calling for their parents and grandparents.

When they learned that not only would they not die, but they could also recover in about six months and even stand and walk again, the young patients who had just woken up all smiled happily.

With a wave of his hand, the leader of the medical team called all the doctors into the adjacent office for a meeting.

"This serum isn’t a miracle drug. It’s not like one injection can bring the dead back to life. The treatment is long, and the recovery process is excruciatingly painful. The rotten flesh has to be scraped away, leaving only bone and nerve. This serum must be injected every morning and evening. As you’ve all seen, the patient’s body temperature plummets during the injection, and some patients experience other side effects, like heart palpitations and convulsions... Regardless, our base’s medical team has achieved something incredible this time. Our medical research has taken another step forward. Every one of you did an amazing job. You saved the lives of all these patients." After the medical team leader finished speaking, everyone burst into applause.

"We don’t yet know if there will be any long-term side effects after the patients are cured. Medical research has always been a difficult path of advancing through trial and error. But that’s okay. I have faith in every member of this medical team. Even when we encounter difficulties, we won’t back down. Instead, we’ll face them head-on and overcome them. Just like this time—The First Base, The Third Base, and The Fourth Base have all started using the serum. We have saved a great many people."

"It’s what we’re supposed to do. Besides, the people we’re saving are our own countrymen. As citizens of our nation, it’s our undeniable duty," a young doctor said resolutely.

"That’s right. Even if we weren’t doctors, we’re still citizens living on this land. This is just what we have to do."

The leader’s face swelled with pride, his own passion ignited by their words.

"Having young people like you is the pride of our base."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!