socalfunplaces Chapter 160 Urgent News
Chapter 160 Urgent News
Survival instinct and the crisis management skills she had honed over the past few days forced her to break free from the initial shock, and her mind began to race at breakneck speed.
Prices! Market!
She seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly lowered her head, quickly turned on her phone screen with her still somewhat stiff fingers, exited the call interface, and directly opened the "Linchuan Trading Forum" APP icon.
Even the brief delays in app loading made her anxious, and her heart sank the moment the homepage refreshed.
really!
The forum's homepage was completely flooded and submerged in a very short time by posts related to "cold protection," "heating," "wintering," "urgent sale," and "sky-high price requests"! The original diverse transaction information disappeared without a trace, replaced by a sea of panicked purchase requests.
Below the official warning announcement pinned to the top and highlighted in bold red are countless privately posted transaction messages filled with intense anxiety, while the numbers in the price column have gone crazy, revealing a final frenzy before the extreme cold arrives.
"Urgent sale! Last three extra-thick cashmere comforters! I'm keeping them for myself! 3.5 points each! Buy now while supplies last!" — Just a few days ago, an ordinary thick comforter cost only 0.8 to 1 point.
"Selling a small ceramic electric heater with great power and the latest battery interface. Just plug and play! 10 points, no bargaining!" - Similar products usually don't cost more than 4 points.
"Limited quantity of high-quality anthracite, last chance! 8000 jin for 1 point! Limited stock, first come, first served!" — This price is double what she paid! And it's clearly taking advantage of information asymmetry and panic, because the official warning had just been issued and many people hadn't had time to verify the market information.
"Looking to buy any fuel at an exorbitant price! Diesel, gasoline, kerosene are all acceptable! Price negotiable! DM me! Urgent!!!"
"Help! Does anyone have a spare down jacket or heavy military coat? Size doesn't matter! I'll offer 3 points! Trade immediately!"
……
A quick glance revealed that the prices of almost all items related to warmth, energy, and basic food had doubled, tripled, or even more than when she had checked a few days earlier! Panic buying, occurring within a very short time after the official warning was issued, shattered the market, which had maintained basic order, exposing the greed and fear inherent in human nature.
But what she's most worried about right now isn't the skyrocketing prices, but people.
She immediately logged out of the forum, opened her communication interface with Xie Yingtang, and typed a message rapidly: [Brother Xie, did you receive the official warning call? Did you see the forum post? How are your winter supplies preparations going? Have you moved to a new house yet?]
The message was replied to almost instantly: "Received! Just got a call. Don't worry, everything is ready! The heated kang room was rented yesterday afternoon. Although the location is a bit remote, the kang is good, the walls are thick, and the coal has been delivered. We've stockpiled over ten tons, enough to last us a long time. Thank you so much, Xiaoyan. Luckily, we had the cigarettes and alcohol you sent to tide us over, which allowed us to get everything sorted out so quickly. Otherwise, with our meager points and that dilapidated house, we probably wouldn't have had a good winter." Between the lines, there was a deep sense of relief, as if he had survived a disaster, and an undisguised and sincere gratitude towards her.
Seeing that they were settled and that the supplies seemed sufficient, Xu Xiaoyan felt relieved; at least, her friends were safe for the time being.
However, her own problem wasn't completely solved yet: cat litter! She had to get her hands on it!
The official warning has compressed the timeframe to the hour. Nobody knows what the outside world will look like after 10 p.m. tomorrow, whether the market will still exist, or whether travel will still be possible. This may be the last window for safe procurement.
She put her phone back in her pocket, pulled her down jacket with the torn sleeves tighter around her, pulled up her collar, pushed open the gate, and stepped out.
As soon as she stepped outside, she noticed that the scene on the street was different. Compared to when she returned a few hours earlier, the pedestrians were obviously in a hurry, their expressions filled with undisguised panic and anxiety. Many people were walking quickly while looking down at their phones, obviously checking information and forums. The conversations became rapid and loud, and occasionally suppressed exclamations or curses could be heard. The air was filled with a tense atmosphere like an impending storm.
Xu Xiaoyan tightened her backpack strap, determined her direction, and walked quickly toward the Taiping Street market.
When she stepped into the Taiping Street Free Market again, even though she was mentally prepared, she was still shocked by the chaotic atmosphere that was completely different from before.
The crowds were so dense it was suffocating; it was truly shoulder to shoulder. Every step required turning sideways or exerting force, and almost everyone's face showed panic, anxiety, and a naked thirst for resources.
The haggling turned into a fierce argument and even shoving. The volume of the voices generally rose several degrees, and the exclamations, shouts, pleas, and curses in various dialects merged into a huge, chaotic wave of sound that assaulted the eardrums.
Xu Xiaoyan's backpack was empty this time, so she could confidently wear it on her back, freeing her hands to maintain her balance and push through the crowd.
She analyzed the situation with unusual calmness: at this critical juncture when the official warning had just been issued and survival was under the most direct threat, even luxury goods such as famous cigarettes and liquor, which were once "hard currency," would inevitably have their appeal and exchange value greatly reduced. Now everyone's attention was focused on the reserves of food and cold-weather supplies that could immediately fill their stomachs and keep their body warm.
Her gaze swept over the stalls on both sides, which were now unrecognizable. Many stalls that originally sold groceries, secondhand goods, and even small handicrafts had been temporarily replaced with rice and noodles, canned food, bundles of old clothes, or various things that looked like they could be burned. The stalls that actually sold pet supplies or cat litter were probably gone.
As she expected, things were even more chaotic and frantic than she had anticipated, with her eardrums constantly bombarded by all sorts of sounds.
"This tattered cotton-padded coat! I saw it yesterday and it was only priced at 1 point! How dare you ask for 2 points today? Why don't you just rob me!" A man wrapped in an old military overcoat roared angrily, his face flushed red, pointing at the cotton-padded coat on the stall that didn't look very thick.
The stall owner was a lean, middle-aged man. He didn't even lift his eyelids, clutching his cotton-padded coat tightly in one hand and waving his other hand impatiently. "Rob? In this day and age, it's a skill to snatch something! Take it or leave it! This is the price. If you think it's too expensive, move aside. There are other people waiting in line! Look carefully, this is the last one!"