Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 255 Fixed-point operation

This not only increases the workload of the clerks, but also confuses and unsettles first-time visitors.

The middle-aged woman walking ahead did not stop, but gently shook her head after hearing Xu Xiaoyan's question.

The relaxed smile that had always been on his face faded a bit, replaced by a slightly helpless yet businesslike serious expression.

She even subconsciously turned her head and quickly glanced at the wall that now looked spotless, as if to make sure the door was really closed.

Then, she turned to Xu Xiaoyan, lowered her voice, and spoke in a tone that didn't sound like she was explaining a design flaw, but rather like she was talking about something important that couldn't be publicized but had to be mentioned.

"Ah, young lady, you have no idea," she sighed almost inaudibly.

She didn't answer immediately, but instead led Xu Xiaoyan to a window that was temporarily dark. It was relatively quiet there and a little further away from other areas where there were occasional noises.

After standing still, she moved closer to Xu Xiaoyan and lowered her voice to make sure that only the two of them could hear her.

"It's not like our management office wanted to make things so complicated," she said, disclaiming any involvement, before her brow furrowed slightly.

"It was just a few hours ago that we received an urgent internal notice from the base, requiring all public service units to immediately strengthen their internal security measures."

That's why we temporarily put this security door into use... well, it's rarely closed completely.

Normally it is basically always open, or at least slightly ajar, so that you can see a little bit of the inside from the outside.

"Emergency notice? Increased precautions?" Xu Xiaoyan keenly caught the key words, and her heart tightened subconsciously.

Within the base, "emergency notification" often means trouble, while "enhanced defenses" directly points to a threat.

The middle-aged woman nodded, her expression becoming serious.

He glanced around warily again, making sure no other staff or people waiting were approaching.

He continued in an almost whispered voice, "Because there was a huge mess in areas D and E a couple of days ago, a really big mess."

"Trouble?" Xu Xiaoyan repeated subconsciously, lowering her voice. A familiar sense of vigilance regarding the unrest at the base's lower levels quickly replaced the brief moment of relaxation she had just felt.

"Yes, a huge mess." The middle-aged woman nodded heavily, her brows furrowing even more, as if recalling that scene still lingered in her mind.

"On the day that it was D zone's turn to open for entry review, everything was proceeding as planned. Although there were many people and long queues, the order was still acceptable."

But after noon that day, the weather suddenly went awry.

The temperature suddenly plummeted without warning, dropping nearly 20 degrees Celsius in just half an hour! And that wasn't all; then, massive hailstones began to fall without any warning.

"The blizzard was already making people scream and howl, and the temperature was dropping sharply," she described, her tone filled with clear lingering fear, as if she had experienced it firsthand.

"In those extreme weather conditions, the base leadership's primary concern is definitely the safety of the people!"

We can't let so many people who are still queuing outdoors and waiting for their applications freeze to death.

Therefore, the access review process in Zone D at that time was basically a formality and completely paralyzed.

She paused, seemingly choosing her words carefully. "Basically, anyone who claims to be on the D-zone access list, or even just someone from near that area, or even..."

Sigh, in order to get them into a relatively safe indoor area to escape the cold as soon as possible, the security guards and staff on site hardly checked their identities and let them all in.

The situation was similar in the adjacent E area. The passageways were connected, and people waiting for verification from the other side also rushed in in a chaotic manner, completely mixing the people from both areas together.

Xu Xiaoyan held her breath as she listened; she could imagine the scene:

Faced with deadly cold and raging blizzards and hail that can tear everything apart, any rules and regulations, red tape, will be overwhelmed by the most primal instinct for survival.

When order collapses, management inevitably falls into paralysis, and all facets of human nature will be exposed in extreme environments.

She could understand the helplessness of the base's higher-ups in making the "survival first" decision, but the consequences...

"The people in the two areas are mixed together, and their identities are difficult to clarify. This is secondary; at most, it will cause some trouble in management in the future."

The female clerk's voice became more serious, even carrying a hint of coldness.

"The most critical problem is that, due to the extreme time constraints, there is a severe shortage of manpower on site, coupled with the extremely chaotic scene, some..."

Some individuals marked as "highly dangerous" or "requiring close monitoring" by the base's internal system were not screened out in a timely manner.

Taking advantage of the chaos, they joined the crowd of refugees and poured in.

"Dangerous element?" Xu Xiaoyan asked softly, her heart suddenly tightening. She knew very well the weight of this word in the context of the base.

It may not just be petty thieves or troublemakers, but could involve groups or individuals who are violent, destructive, or even pose a real threat to the stability of the base.

"Yes, the notification didn't specify who the individuals were or how many, but it clearly used the term 'dangerous elements' and emphasized that only 'a portion' of them were successfully intercepted."

All departments, especially those of us who may have direct contact with transient populations, are required to be more vigilant and strengthen access control and identity verification.

The female clerk's expression was extremely solemn. "By the time the base realized what was happening and tried to re-examine the personnel list and control suspicious targets, it was already too late."

People have already scattered to every corner, every resettlement site, and have even blended into the ranks of ordinary residents. Trying to find them one by one quietly is as difficult as climbing to the sky, and besides…”

She paused here, looked into Xu Xiaoyan's eyes, and said, word by word, "The most critical thing is that, based on the emergency investigation and surveillance records afterward, it was reconstructed..."

On the day of the incident, the main access gate connecting our C and D areas was not fully closed according to the safety plan due to human error, resulting in a time lag between the closing of the area gates.

The notice specifically pointed out that, based on the existing intelligence analysis, it cannot be ruled out that unidentified individuals, or even some of those dangerous elements, have infiltrated our Area C through that passageway that is not yet completely closed.

Xu Xiaoyan shivered. She had just been lamenting the hidden "unspoken rules" of the C-zone approval office and the rare warmth and kindness of the management office.

Little did they expect that unidentified or even clearly threatening "dangerous individuals" might have infiltrated Area C, and who knows when they might suddenly attack and injure people.

"So," the female clerk concluded, pointing towards the hidden door, her face showing even more helplessness.

"We also have all other government departments that directly serve the residents."

Now all of them use these kinds of hidden doors, and the outer lobby is now a small safety buffer zone and observation area.

She straightened up slightly, her voice returning to some normal volume, but still carrying a warning tone:

"We can no longer leave the doors of the service hall open as before. We need to be more prepared now. This door is the first physical and psychological barrier."

Looking at Xu Xiaoyan's face, one could see the realization mixed with shock and even lingering fear.

The female clerk's tone softened, carrying a hint of explanation and reassurance: "It's our duty to come out and guide them as soon as possible."

We can't keep people who are genuinely there to do business outside just because we're afraid of potential risks, or create an overly tense atmosphere.

Now we have to be more careful. The staff on duty inside have to keep a close eye on the surveillance cameras at the entrance. As soon as someone enters the lobby, they have to come out quickly to confirm and guide them.

There's nothing I can do about it, I'm sorry you had to see this. These days... well, safety first, it's never a bad thing to be cautious."

"So that's how it is... Thank you for telling me all this, big sister," Xu Xiaoyan said in a low voice, her voice a little hoarse.

She steadied herself and carefully took the approval slip out of her pocket.

She handed the approval slip to the kind-faced clerk who had just revealed startling news, her tone even more gentle and polite, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible earnestness:

"Excuse me, ma'am, could you please take a look? This is the approval document that was just issued. What should I do next? Who should I contact to handle this?"

She needs to grasp these definite, actionable steps to combat the growing sense of uncertainty within her.

The female clerk took the approval slip, her serious expression softening as she regained her professional composure.

She unfolded the approval slip, her gaze quickly and intently scanning the contents of the document and the unique number in the upper right corner.

Finally, it paused for a moment on the bright red, clear official seal that represented authoritative recognition, as if verifying its authenticity and validity.

A few seconds later, she nodded, a look of certainty on her face that said, "This can be done."

"Oh, this is the operating permit for the special convenient catering service vehicle. The number is also fine."

She handed the approval slip back to Xu Xiaoyan, her tone calm, "This business was ultimately finalized with us, that's for sure."

In your case, I can help you with the initial registration and entry into the system, and then initiate the subsequent process of physical vehicle allocation and license plate binding.

Xu Xiaoyan was overjoyed. It was a success!

But before the joy could fully spread, before a smile could even bloom on her face, the other person abruptly changed the subject, their tone carrying a hint of warning:

"However, young lady, I need to confirm with you first," the female clerk said, pointing to a line of text on the approval slip.

"Look here at the approved business scope on this slip of paper. It says 'Limited to the 3rd, 7th and 11th convenience service points in Zone C'."

See? It's a designated area operating permit, not a permit to travel throughout Zone C.

This means that after you pick up the vehicle, you can only operate at these three designated numbered locations, and you cannot move around and sell your goods freely within Zone C like a food truck.