Chapter 111

“We’ve already contacted the Qing City government. Zhanqiao Beach is now under basic lockdown.”

Early the next morning, aboard a business shuttle headed to Zhanqiao Park in Qing City, a staff member explained the situation earnestly. Yesterday afternoon, the video titled Canna Lily on the Reef went viral nationwide. The moment the Longxia Team saw it, they immediately reached out to the video’s creator.

The creator turned out to be a wedding photographer. According to his account, he had casually planted the Canna Lily during a shoot back in 3027. In May of 3028, while photographing another wedding, he came across the same plant again. By then, the Canna Lily had grown from a tiny seed to about three inches tall. As he had a habit of documenting things, he began a three-year-long observation of the Canna Lily, which eventually led to the release of yesterday’s video.

The Longxia Team reported the matter to the Seed Laboratory. Recognizing its significance, the lab dispatched Song Yueshan and Xiang Qingchuan to lead an on-site investigation.

“Is this the viral Canna Lily?”

“There’s quite a crowd.”

“They’ve already cordoned off the area.”

…

At 9:20 AM, the group arrived at Zhanqiao Park. A perimeter had already been set up around the Canna Lily, and scattered across the boardwalk above were at least three thousand onlookers.

“Quite a turnout,” Song Yueshan remarked, surveying the scene.

“Everyone’s curious about how the Canna Lily managed to grow,” Xiang Qingchuan said with a tinge of emotion.

Half an hour later, the two of them reached the reef where the Canna Lily was growing. The reef was located beneath the boardwalk, largely overlooked for the past three years due to the slippery stones surrounding it. Song Yueshan put on gloves and examined the plant. It stood half a meter tall, its rhizome slightly withered, topped with a soft orange-pink blossom.

“It’s still alive,” Song Yueshan noted after a quick inspection. Though the Canna Lily looked battered, its roots had already extended into the seawater, tenaciously drawing in moisture.

“Have you taken samples?” she asked the local research team.

“All done,” a staff member replied, presenting a variety of sample boxes containing reef fragments, seawater, and Canna Lily leaves.

After carefully reviewing the samples, Song Yueshan instructed the team to remove the reef and the Canna Lily growing on it. The Canna Lily was a miracle born of adversity, and the Agricultural Research Institute’s mission was to uncover the cause of that miracle—and replicate it.

That afternoon, the Qing City Agricultural Bureau issued a press statement announcing the temporary closure of Zhanqiao Park.

“Fully support the closure. Let’s figure out how this thing grows.”

“With all this acid rain, it’s been ages since I’ve had grilled shrimp skewers.”

“I tested the pH near the city—it’s down to 4.2.”

…

As soon as the city government announced the park closure, Qing City residents voiced their full support.

Qing City was once a nationally renowned coastal tourist destination. But since the nationwide acid rain crisis, its tourism economy had plummeted by 76%. Common seafood like squid, shrimp, and eel had all tested above the safe threshold for heavy metals. Now, with the Canna Lily project in the spotlight, the people of Qing City were holding onto a sliver of hope.

They wanted a breakthrough in ecological restoration. They wanted their seafood city back.

Amid this collective anticipation, on March 31st, the Longxia Special Task Force released a public statement: “Testing shows that due to its unique geographical location, the reef at Zhanqiao contains a significant amount of residual marine microorganisms. These microorganisms interact with the Canna Lily’s rhizome, enabling the plant to naturally resist acid rain and survive in mildly acidic environments…”

In short, the Canna Lily had undergone a form of self-directed acid resistance evolution, thanks to the dual factors of marine microorganisms and its own structural adaptations.

“Could these microorganisms help other plants grow?”

“If we turn them into fertilizer, could they work like Locust Fertilizer?”

…

The entire internet exploded into a debate over microorganisms.

That evening, the Longxia Agricultural Research Institute issued another update: “The Canna Lily’s mutation occurred under a unique combination of microorganisms and environmental conditions. It cannot currently be replicated in other plants. However, analysis of the reef’s microbial composition has revealed a major breakthrough in soil improvement. The project has now entered the next phase of research…”

“My rose bush has been dead for two years—maybe some reef fragments could bring it back?”

“I just want normal soil again.”

“Compared to the Canna Lily, I feel like such a failure.”

…

Netizens couldn’t help but think back to last year’s locusts. The locusts had mutated during the global acid rain crisis. While the Canna Lily wasn’t exactly a mutation, the fact that it had managed to survive for two years, growing stubbornly out of a crack in a reef, was nothing short of miraculous.

In the face of nature, plants and animals often proved far more resilient than humans.

…

“These microorganisms contain not only some saprophytic compounds, but also a substance similar to FSA2.” While the nation was abuzz, inside the Fengshan Farm lab, researchers pored over the latest data.

The Canna Lily’s growth was indeed tied to marine microorganisms and its own biological makeup. But the detailed report revealed something more—these marine substances included a compound similar to FSA2. FSA2 was a substance previously discovered by the Agricultural Institute during the locust crisis, found in Longxia Red Algae.

In the latest batch of experimental data, researchers discovered a substance called FSA2 on the reef rocks at Zhanqiao. This substance has the remarkable ability to effectively absorb precious metals from the soil, allowing the soil to regain its normal structure.

After discussion, the team decided to rename it FSA3.

The moment FSA3 was confirmed, the entire lab buzzed with excitement. “If we can trace the source of FSA3, could we possibly conduct large-scale soil restoration trials?”

Right now, the world is facing a Food Crisis, a Plant Crisis, a Meat Crisis… and at the heart of each is one critical factor: soil. If the soil can be made arable again, half of the global crisis could be alleviated.

After some deliberation, Liu Wensheng said, “I’ve already reported to the team. We’re sealing off Zhanqiao until next year.”

The reef rocks at Zhanqiao are the key to the FSA3 research. To pinpoint the medium through which FSA3 forms, the lab is prepared for a long-term effort.

In the midst of this intense research, Liu Wensheng suddenly felt a tickle in his throat and let out two heavy coughs.

Qin Yun, who was reviewing the analysis report on Canna Lily, looked up and asked, “Do you want to take a few days off to rest?”

Liu Wensheng had started coughing last month. At first, he thought it was just a mild cold, but as the coughing worsened, the farm’s medical team diagnosed him with a respiratory infection, likely triggered by the recent sandstorm—this year’s most common form of Acid Rain Sickness.

After Qin Yun spoke, Liu Wensheng waved him off. “I’m not dying. What’s the point of resting?”

According to the latest reports, since the sandstorm in March, respiratory infections have been on the rise nationwide. Respiratory issues have become even more common than colds and fevers.

…

Cough, cough. At the same time Liu Wensheng was coughing into his hand, over in Pingshui Town, Changlong County, Su Province, Wang Xuecai was coughing too.

“There was a mild sandstorm a few days ago. I told you to stay home, but you just had to go out,” Wang Mengying said with concern as she prepared a packet of herbal medicine in the courtyard of the Wang family home.

From March 12th to 15th, a massive sandstorm swept through northern Longxia. Although Su Province, located south of the Longxia River, didn’t experience the full brunt of it, the clash of warm and cold air currents still caused many residents to develop coughs and colds. These symptoms, which would have been minor in the past, often escalated into respiratory infections due to the heavy presence of acid rain particles in the air.

Wang Xuecai was one of those infected after the sandstorm. He initially thought it was just a mild illness and took cold medicine for three days, but his condition worsened until he was finally diagnosed.

“The air inside the house is the same as outside. If you can get infected out there, staying in doesn’t guarantee anything,” Wang Xuecai said dismissively.

“You’re so stubborn!” Wang Mengying muttered under her breath, then asked, “So, the deal for the southern hillside went through. Are we planting watermelons or sticking with wheat?”

Pingshui Town is one of the top ten advanced towns in Su Province and among the first to benefit from land transfer policies back in 2027. When the land reform happened, Wang Mengying returned to her hometown and leased 500 mu of hillside farmland. That land now brings in an annual profit of around 500,000 yuan. In mid-February, Longxia released its No. 11 seed variety.

Right around then, a fellow townsperson was looking to sublease 300 mu of hillside land. Thanks to Wang Xuecai’s reputation and the fair price, they quickly signed the contract.

Now that the new land has been plowed and prepped, they’ve missed the optimal planting window for watermelons, leaving her uncertain about what to grow.

After a moment of thought, Wang Xuecai replied, “Let’s go with watermelons. This year’s temperatures are high—we can still get a harvest in August.”

That was what Wang Mengying had been leaning toward as well. After a brief discussion, she placed the medicine bottle on the table. “Drink this first. I’m heading out to buy seeds.”

If they were going to plant watermelons, they needed to stock up on seeds in advance.

With that, Wang Mengying drove off in a minivan to buy seeds from town.

Wang Xuecai watched her leave, sipping his medicine with contentment.

Wang Mengying had graduated from a top university and had been back in the village for two years now. She no longer had the delicate look of a city girl, but she was far more capable and efficient. Though Wang Xuecai wouldn’t admit it out loud, with his son busy tinkering with a feed factory, Wang Mengying had become the true pillar of the family.

After finishing his medicine, Wang Xuecai leaned back and squinted at the sun. Today, the average temperature in Su Province was thirty-five degrees Celsius. People used to complain about the increasingly hot weather, but now, with vegetation dying off in swathes, it felt like the year had been reduced to just two seasons: summer and winter.

“Longxia Meteorological Station: From April 3rd to 15th, Longnan and Zhongnan are expected to reach highs of 42°C. Residents should take precautions against heatstroke.”

“Longxia Power Authority: Due to extreme summer heat, Longxia’s power grid is under heavy load. Residents and businesses are advised to conserve electricity.”

“Longxia Water and Power Bureau…”

…

This year is shaping up to be even hotter than the last. Since April 3rd, the country has been gripped by a prolonged heatwave. Not only are temperatures higher than last year, but with vegetation drastically reduced and the air increasingly dry, people aren’t just feeling the heat—they’re suffocating in it. Enclosed spaces have become almost unbearable.

Since April 3rd, sales of air purifiers have been steadily climbing across the country.

At the same time, people were shocked to discover that prices for everyday items like toilet paper and sanitary pads had skyrocketed. What had been a modest increase last year turned into a steep surge by early April—forty-five yuan for a pack of toilet paper, twenty-five for a ten-pack of sanitary pads. Even items like medicinal herbs, cosmetics, and furniture were seeing wild price hikes.

Due to a nationwide surge in flu and respiratory illness cases, related medications were completely sold out on April 10th.