LOSS System: Last Store Standing

After rejoining the herd, the adult Gray-Ridged Elk remained by the water pit for a while longer. Once the other adults had drunk their fill, the herd led the calves back the way they had come.

Jack watched from the CUEV as they gradually disappeared into the distance. The adult that had nudged the vehicle remained at the rear. After walking some distance, it glanced back once before catching up with the others.

Only after the herd had moved well away from the water pit did Jack restart the CUEV and head back to the trading post.

As he passed the shelter, everyone beneath the canopy stared at him in disbelief.

Jack smiled and waved before continuing toward the new trading post.

The moment he stopped the CUEV, Warren and the others gathered around.

“I can’t believe they actually lowered their guard around you,” Warren said. “They even had calves with them.”

Elias studied Jack for a moment.

“No wonder the Dustchucks and Gray-Eared Jump Hares are willing to stay here. Animals really do treat you differently.”

Jack merely smiled without explaining.

Megan said nothing either. When Jack glanced her way, she smiled back.

Walter soon remembered the humidity problem Hal had mentioned. He called Colt over, and the two brought out the CAWRUs recovered from the electronics mall.

With help from Warren and Thomas, they mounted one CAWRU on each side of the new trading post. After connecting the wiring, they ran the drainage pipes to the edge of the growing area.

Walter checked the connections one last time, then started both units. A low mechanical hum rose from the outer walls of the trading post.

At first, there was little noticeable change beneath the canopy. Gradually, the dampness in the cooled air began to fade, and the area around the wooden boxes no longer felt as stifling.

The drainage pipes beside the growing area soon began producing water. A few drops fell from the outlets at first, then slowly joined into thin, steady streams flowing into the containers below.

Jack watched the water for a moment and clicked his tongue.

“I didn’t realize there was this much moisture in the air.”

“The moat and the water pit are both nearby,” Hal said. “At temperatures this high, the water is evaporating much faster.”

Jack glanced at the CAWRUs mounted on the walls.

“Those two units Henry found are finally useful again after all these years.”

Megan looked at the machines.

“Now I understand why research institutions eventually became their main buyers.”

Over at the shelter, Leonard had begun working as well.

He examined the long storage cases brought back from the agricultural supply center the night before, then asked someone to move one beneath the canopy.

Inside the case were three sections of metal pole, a mounting frame, and several monitoring modules of different shapes.

Leonard laid out the components, connected the three sections of pole, then installed the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and other sensor modules in their proper positions. Several people on watch came over to hold the frame steady while he worked.

Fully assembled, the PACS stood about 1.8 meters tall.

Leonard activated the narrow display in the middle of the pole and checked that every sensor module had started properly.

After studying the ground beyond the canopy, he selected an open area for the station. Several people on watch carried the PACS outside, secured its mounting frame, and raised it into position.

They spent no longer beneath the sun than necessary. As soon as the station was firmly in place, everyone returned to the shade.

Leonard checked the PACS from beneath the canopy, then called Vane over.

“It needs some time to collect data from the surrounding area. Go to the trading post and let Jack know.”

Vane took the CUEV left at the shelter and delivered the message.

When Jack heard that the PACS had been installed, he decided to go over and take a look. Warren, Walter, and Colt were already preparing to return to the shelter, so he turned to Megan.

“Let’s go with them. Bring the Tesla.”

Megan drove the Tesla over, and the five of them returned to the shelter.

“The station still needs some time,” Leonard said. “Those sensors have been sitting unused for more than fifty years. I need to make sure all the readings are working properly.”

With nothing to do but wait, Jack went over to the twenty or so boxes of protective gear they had brought back the night before.

One box was already open. Inside were gloves, protective goggles, a lightweight face mask, a cooling vest, and several detachable fluid pouches.

Jack picked up a pair of gloves. While checking the packaging underneath, he found a complete instruction manual pressed against the bottom of the box.

The clear wrapper had yellowed with age, but the manual inside was still in excellent condition. Jack removed the wrapping and sat beside the box to read.

The equipment was officially called Environment-Adaptive Protective Gear, or EAPG. It had been designed for agricultural work, equipment maintenance, outdoor construction, and handling agricultural chemicals.

The gloves could adapt to whatever they came into contact with, improving their resistance to heat, cuts, and impacts. The goggles could adjust their light transmission and filter intense glare, while the lightweight face mask blocked dust, smoke, fine particles, and irritating odors.

The cooling vest was connected to a detachable fluid pouch. After adding ice and a small amount of water, the chilled liquid would circulate through the vest and draw heat away from the wearer’s body.

According to the manual, the vest could provide noticeable cooling for one to one and a half hours, even in temperatures approaching sixty degrees Celsius. Once the ice melted, the warmed water could be drained and replaced with fresh ice and water.

Jack’s eyes lit up.

Megan noticed his interest and came over.

“What did you find?”

Jack took a cooling vest from the box.

“The gloves protect against heat and cuts, the goggles filter strong light, and the mask keeps out dust. Add ice and water to this vest, and the liquid circulates inside to keep the wearer cool.”

“That would be perfect for the people on watch,” Megan said.

“That’s what I was thinking. Once we’re done here, we’ll test the gear and see if it still works.”

Before long, Leonard went out to the PACS and recorded the latest readings from its display. He returned beneath the canopy soon afterward.

“The data is ready. The outside temperature is 71.8 degrees Celsius, the relative humidity is only nine percent, and the surface temperature of the soil has reached 82.6 degrees. There’s almost no wind either. The wind speed is below half a meter per second.”

His expression remained serious.

“The situation is worse than expected. At this rate, the temperature could reach seventy-three degrees today. Once the heat wave peaks, daytime temperatures may exceed eighty-seven degrees, while nighttime temperatures could remain above seventy-three.”

Jack looked beyond the canopy at the open ground bleached pale by the sun.

An idea occurred to him.

“Wait here.”

He called Megan over, and the two drove the Tesla back to the convenience store.

Megan loaded the ice from the ice synthesizer into an insulated container. Jack went into the warehouse and retrieved the lightweight fabric lay-flat hose they had brought back earlier, along with the Precision Water Delivery Node, or PWDN.

The moment Megan came out and saw what he was carrying, she understood what he intended to do.

“You really do come up with one ridiculous idea after another.”

“What do you mean, ridiculous?” Jack protested. “Just tell me whether it’ll work.”

Megan had to admit it.

“It should.”

Jack immediately looked pleased with himself.

“Then what’s the problem?”

They loaded the insulated container, hose, and PWDN into a CUEV and returned to the shelter.

The equipment in the cargo bed immediately gave away Jack’s plan.

Leonard stared at the roll of hose, then quietly asked Warren, “He isn’t planning to spray water over the ground, is he?”

Warren gave him a knowing look.

“Don’t doubt yourself. That’s exactly what he’s planning.”

Leonard opened his mouth but found nothing to say.

Jack paid no attention to them. He connected one end of the lay-flat hose to the faucet inside the shelter and dragged the rest beneath the canopy.

By the time he came back out, Walter had already attached the PWDN to the other end, and Nolan was preparing to pull it onto the open ground.

“Wait.”

Jack stopped them and stared at the newly attached PWDN.

“Walter, you work too fast. I need the water for something else first. Take it off for now.”

“I was only trying to help,” Walter said with an awkward smile as he removed it again.

“Nolan, bring over a set of protective gear.”

Nolan took out a set of EAPG and put on the cooling vest, gloves, goggles, and face mask. Following the manual, Jack filled the fluid pouch with ice and a small amount of water, then switched on the circulation pump.

After giving it a moment to start working, Jack asked, “How does it feel?”

“Cool,” Nolan said, touching the vest. “I feel it most across my chest and back. Around my neck too.”

Satisfied, Jack pointed toward the hose.

“Pull it out onto the open ground. Stay out there for a while before coming back, then tell us how the gear performs.”

Walter reattached the PWDN and handed the hose to Nolan.

Nolan dragged it beyond the canopy and positioned the PWDN on the open ground inside the SEFP perimeter. Once everything was in place, he turned and gave the others a thumbs-up.

Jack went back inside the shelter and opened the faucet.

Water rushed into the lay-flat hose, causing the flat tubing to swell section by section as it carried the flow toward the center of the open area.

The PWDN came to life.

A wide spray of water spread evenly across the ground. Countless droplets flashed beneath the blinding sunlight before falling onto the scorching surface.

The first wet marks appeared in scattered patches. As the spraying continued, they darkened and slowly spread outward.

A faint rainbow flickered within the fine mist, adding a rare streak of color to the heat-stricken wasteland.

The spray continued, and the dark wet patches gradually reached Nolan’s feet. He remained outside, occasionally moving his arms and walking around the hose to test whether the gear restricted him.

After some time, Jack waved him back.

Nolan returned beneath the canopy. His goggles and face mask showed no visible problems, though much of the ice in the fluid pouch had already melted.

“How was it?” Jack asked.

Nolan removed the face mask and wiped his forehead.

“The vest worked well, and the rest of the gear didn’t cause any problems. The only issue was that the top of my head kept getting hotter.”

“Did any of it restrict your movement?”

Nolan raised his arms and moved them around.

“No.”

Jack nodded and was about to help Nolan remove the gear when Henry’s voice came from behind him.

“Leave it on.”

Everyone turned. Henry had come out of the shelter without anyone noticing.

He walked over to Nolan and checked the fluid pouch. Most of the ice had already melted.

“Refill it with ice and cold water, then have Nolan drive a CUEV toward the agricultural supply center,” Henry said. “If he feels unwell at any point, he turns back immediately. No pushing himself.”

Nolan nodded.

Leonard quickly understood what Henry had in mind.

“You still want to bring back supplies from the agricultural supply center?”

“Yes, but not yet,” Henry said. “Let Nolan make the trip during the day first, then try it again tonight. If he can make both round trips without any problems, we’ll know the CUEVs can still travel safely in this heat. After that, we’ll test how long someone wearing the gear can work outside before we resume the supply runs.”

Jack finally understood and gave Henry a thumbs-up.

“Experience really does count.”

Henry waved him off and told him to hurry up and refill Nolan’s fluid pouch.

Jack drained the warmed water, then added fresh ice and a small amount of clean water. Nolan adjusted his goggles and face mask. Once the vest felt cool again, he climbed into the CUEV parked beneath the canopy.

The vehicle slowly pulled away.

Everyone stood at the edge of the canopy and watched it enter the blinding sunlight. Before long, the CUEV became a hazy shape amid the waves of heat rising from the wasteland.

The PWDN continued spraying after Nolan left.

The scattered wet patches had merged into a broad, dark area. Almost none of the pale, dry ground remained visible within the spray zone. Water continued falling onto the damp surface, gathering into narrow streams that flowed slowly through the lower parts of the ground.

After the PWDN had been running for a while, Leonard asked someone to help him put on a set of EAPG. He went out to the PACS, recorded the latest readings, then returned beneath the canopy.

“The surface temperature in the sprayed area has fallen to around seventy-two degrees, and it’s still dropping,” Leonard said as he removed his face mask. He smiled. “The nearby air temperature has also dropped by just under one degree.”

Jack checked the insulated container. There was still plenty of ice left.

“Let’s scatter the rest around the PWDN.”

“I’ll do it!” Eli volunteered at once.

He put on a set of EAPG, carried the insulated container into the sprayed area, and began scattering handfuls of ice across the wet ground.

The pieces bounced and rolled in every direction, flashing beneath the sunlight and spray. Eli threw some to the left, then hurled another handful toward the farther side, clearly enjoying himself.

Several younger people beneath the canopy watched with obvious envy.

Jack laughed.

“Don’t be jealous. You’ll all have plenty of time to play later.”

Nearly two hours later, the sound of a CUEV came from the distance.

Everyone turned toward it.

A vehicle emerged through the waves of heat and gradually drew closer to the shelter.

Nolan stopped beneath the canopy and removed his goggles and face mask. Before anyone could ask how the trip had gone, he spoke first.

“There are people at the agricultural supply center.”