Chapter 123

“I’ve downloaded the app. I’ll do my best to get it.”

10 p.m., May 31st. Fengfeng Residential Complex, Su Province. Liu Ziwei was on the phone, speaking seriously.

Liu Ziwei was thirty-two this year, married for seven years, and the owner of Langlang Stationery. The shop was named after his son, Liu Lang—though no one could say for sure if the name was a play on words, sounding like “wandering.” Since the age of two, Liu Lang had been frail and sickly. After a hospital diagnosis, he was found to have extrinsic asthma and had undergone bronchial surgery last year.

Everyone had thought his condition had stabilized, but this year’s sudden sandstorm triggered another asthma attack, throwing the whole family into chaos.

After Liu Ziwei finished speaking, the voice on the other end of the line said, “Not ‘do your best’—you have to get it.”

“Yeah, yeah. I have to.”

The call was from his wife, Wu Ying. The air quality in the city had deteriorated, so last month she had taken their son to their hometown in the mountains to recuperate. The air there was slightly better than in the city, but with vegetation across the country being corroded, the difference was only between “terrible” and “slightly less terrible.”

At 10:20, Liu Ziwei hung up and opened the Longxia Food app. Currently, the Longxia app had four products listed. To prevent malicious hoarding, each verified account could only purchase a second item after completing payment for the first.

He added the Purification Mask to his cart and continued waiting for the Fengshan products to go live.

“Once you and Daddy get the mask, can I go outside to play?” At that moment, in a remote mountain village in Su Province, Liu Lang looked up with wide eyes and asked.

“Mm.” Wu Ying poured him some throat lozenges. Feeling that her tone was too cold, she added, “If you take your medicine like a good boy, once Daddy gets the mask, you can go out and play.”

“I’ll take my medicine like a good boy.” Liu Lang obediently swallowed the pills.

Wu Ying’s heart ached. After her son’s bronchial surgery at the end of last year, the doctors had advised avoiding allergens like pet dander and dust due to his extrinsic asthma.

She had been extremely careful with everything related to him, but who could’ve predicted the worsening acid rain pollution over the past two years? Even with specialized masks, her son had suffered another asthma attack. The doctors now offered two options: 1) long-term hospitalization with nebulizer treatments, though it wouldn’t be a cure; or 2) home treatment with a portable nebulizer.

They had chosen the second option.

The city had reached Level 3 pollution. After discussing it with Liu Ziwei, Wu Ying decided to take their son back to the old family home in the mountains of Su Province. The air there was marginally better, at Level 2 pollution, but still not suitable for Liu Lang’s frail body to go outside.

During this time, she had bought several air purifiers for the house. Liu Lang stayed indoors all day, and she only dared to open the windows briefly during nebulizer treatments.

Wu Ying gently stroked Liu Lang’s head, then numbly opened the Longxia app.

Purification Mask: Filters heavy metals, dust, and acidic particles from the air, bringing it to normal standards. Wu Ying stared blankly at the words “normal standards.” When had simply breathing clean air become a luxury?

At 11:50 p.m., Wu Ying added the Purification Mask to her cart.

At midnight, the Fengshan product page went live. Wu Ying immediately placed her order. Three seconds later, the page refreshed: [Sorry, this product is sold out. Here are some recommended alternatives…]

Wu Ying glanced at the time—12:00:12. Just twelve seconds past midnight. The Fengshan page had only been up for half a minute.

She’d always thought of herself as strong, but seeing those three words—“sold out”—suddenly made her want to cry.

“It’s just not fair.” Tears streamed down her face.

Since her son’s surgery, she had felt like a warrior, fighting every day. But now, she was at her limit…

As she zoned out, her phone rang.

“Hello.” Wu Ying answered numbly.

“I got it!” Liu Ziwei’s voice came through, trembling with excitement.

“The mask?”

“Yes!”

Wu Ying felt like she was on an emotional rollercoaster. Three million units gone in twelve seconds—she had been convinced they wouldn’t get one. And yet, Liu Ziwei had managed to snag it.

“Ughhh, it was 00:00:37 and I couldn’t get anything!”

“Everyone was just too fast.”

“That 3,600-yuan jacket—gone in twenty-three seconds?!”

…

While Wu Ying was still reeling from the emotional whiplash, the entire country was buzzing about the “Fengshan Mask” and “Fengshan Pendant.” According to official backend data, the Fengshan Mask sold out in nine seconds, the pendant in eleven, and the jacket in twenty-three. The total transaction volume reached 310 million yuan, making it the fastest-selling product line in the nation in the past five years.

Daily Mail: “At midnight on May 31st, all Longxia Dual-Machine Series products sold out.”

Global Times: “Dual-Machine Series—Longxia’s most sought-after protective gear…”

…

At 1:20 a.m. Longxia time, “Longxia Dual-Machine Series Sold Out” and “Longxia 23 Seconds” were trending globally. 310 million yuan might not sound like much, but this was just the domestic market. According to authoritative media estimates, with the national influence of the Fengshan base, if the Dual-Machine Series were released globally without quantity limits, even 30 billion wouldn’t be out of reach.

Shuilan International: “The Dual-Machine Series is the first tech line launched after the sterile farming technology—its performance has drawn global attention…”

Though the world was watching the Fengshan Dual-Machine Series, no physical samples had been publicly displayed. As the two products launched, netizens were both eager to see them and worried about a potential flop.

As global anticipation mounted, shipments of the Fengshan Dual-Machine Series began arriving on June 2nd.

…

“Hello, I’m the resident at Unit 126 in Fengfeng Complex. Can your courier drive in for pickup?”

“Too many packages to sort through?”

“When will your delivery arrive…”

…

At 8 a.m. on June 3rd, Liu Ziwei had just woken up and was already glued to his phone, checking for updates. The Purification Mask had shipped out on the afternoon of the 1st. Since it was a special item and the delivery address couldn’t be changed, he had to receive it himself before bringing it to his son.

At 9:10, after yet another call to the courier, the delivery finally arrived downstairs.

“Is it something valuable?” the courier asked curiously.

“It’s for my kid,” Liu Ziwei replied with a smile as he signed for the package.

Half a minute later, the courier left. Liu Ziwei was tempted to open it up right there, but after a moment’s thought, he decided to head home and grab his keys first. It was a seventy-kilometer drive from Fengfeng Community to his family’s old house, winding through rough mountain roads. Never before had he been this eager to make the trip.

…

At the same time, in a countryside home in Su Province, Wu Ying was helping Liu Lang get dressed.

“Mom, I want to go outside and play,” Liu Lang said, eyes full of hope as he looked out the window.

“There’s smog today. You can’t go out in the morning,” Wu Ying replied without even thinking.

Liu Lang glanced outside. The weather was beautiful—clear skies and the sun shining brightly overhead.

“There’s no smog,” Liu Lang insisted.

Wu Ying turned on the smart speaker: “Today is June 3rd. Average temperature in Su Province is 37°C. Moderate pollution. Smog present…”

The light in Liu Lang’s eyes dimmed.

“It’s not that I don’t want you to go out,” Wu Ying said, feeling like the villain in a TV drama. “The doctor said you just had surgery last year. You’re prone to infection.”

“I understand,” Liu Lang answered obediently.

“Good.”

Wu Ying continued helping him get dressed. It had been over forty days since they returned home, and Liu Lang had barely stepped outside. Wu Ying only ever went as far as the village entrance to buy daily necessities. This kind of life was stifling—not just for a child, but even for an adult.

Half a minute later, just as Liu Lang finished getting dressed, the sound of an engine rumbled outside.

“Dad’s here!” Liu Lang rushed to the window and peered out excitedly.

In the courtyard, Liu Ziwei parked the car and was about to head inside when Wu Ying blocked the doorway. “Wash your hands first. Stand in the sun for three minutes. Don’t bring any germs from the car into the house.”

Liu Ziwei obediently stood in the sun for three minutes.

“Langlang, look what Daddy got you!” Liu Ziwei said as he walked in, pulling a small box from his coat.

“The package arrived?” Wu Ying immediately caught on.

“It did!” Liu Ziwei placed the box by the bed.

He had already opened the outer packaging during the drive. Inside was a box about the size of a regular mask case.

Wu Ying opened it. On top was a product manual, and next to it was a finely packaged mask. A panda design was printed on the front, and attached beside it was a coin-sized air filter.

Following the instructions, Liu Ziwei downloaded the Fengshan app. Once he confirmed the connection with the mask, he helped Liu Lang put it on.

“How does it feel?” both parents asked nervously.

“Really comfortable,” Liu Lang said, adjusting the mask. Despite the built-in air filter, it was even more comfortable than a regular mask.

They observed for a while. Liu Lang’s breathing all passed through the filter.

“Mom, does this mean I can go outside now?” Liu Lang asked happily.

Wu Ying checked the app.

According to the app, the outdoor air quality was currently at 73, while inside the mask it was 95.

“…Yes,” Wu Ying said after a moment’s hesitation.

Liu Lang bolted out the door, running into the yard. It was his first time going outside during a moderate pollution day.

Wu Ying followed him out. The app now showed: outdoor air quality 61, inside the mask 91.

For the next five hours, the couple followed Liu Lang around the courtyard. Wu Ying kept a close eye on his condition. Liu Lang was full of energy, showing no signs of asthma.

“Is it really this effective?” Wu Ying asked, still unsure.

“Seems like it…” Liu Ziwei was just as uncertain. They hadn’t expected the Purification Mask to be so convenient and smart.

To test the mask’s real-world performance, the two took Liu Lang into the city, to parks on the outskirts, and other areas. The app’s air quality readings changed with the environment, but inside the mask, it consistently stayed above 90.

At 3 p.m. on June 5th, just after they finished hiking, the app issued an alert: “System detected that from 14:55–15:00, user A00012X’s respiratory quality dropped below average (-272%). Please be aware of breathing safety.”

The three of them didn’t understand what it meant.

From 3:00 to 3:30, the system issued three more alerts in succession.

Just as they were puzzling over it, Liu Lang suddenly clutched his throat tightly. Wu Ying quickly pulled out the portable nebulizer she always carried. Fifteen seconds later, Liu Lang returned to normal.

“Was that an asthma warning?”

“Yeah…”

Both of them were stunned by the Purification Mask’s alert function. Not only could it filter out pollutants and dust, it could also monitor the user’s respiratory quality and issue early warnings!

“Mom, does this mean I can go back to school?” Liu Lang asked.

“Yes!” Wu Ying hugged her son tightly.

He had undergone surgery last year. This year, his asthma was triggered by poor air quality. Now that the mask could filter out harmful particles, it meant he could begin returning to a normal life!

“Ahhh, the Purification Mask is amazing! It feels like my breathing just leveled up three times!”

“As someone who’s worn glasses forever, I can’t believe the Purification Mask doesn’t fog up my lenses…”

“I bought the Constant Temperature Pendant and set it to 3°C—my neck feels incredible.”

“I set my clothes to minus 5°C. It even warned me that prolonged exposure could cause frostbite and locked the setting.”

…

By June 7th, as more and more Dual-Machine Series products arrived, people felt their quality of life skyrocketing. The Purification Mask improved air quality, while the Constant Temperature Series was like a portable refrigerator.

“HJK Tech hopes to establish a friendly partnership with the Fengshan Base.”

“The Mali government wishes to begin export trade with the Fengshan Series.”

“Looking for a Longxia proxy! Need help buying the Constant Temperature Jacket!”

…

It’s been a week since the launch of the Dual-Machine Series. In that short time, countries around the world have taken the devices apart from top to bottom, analyzing every component. In the end, they had no choice but to admit: the Dual-Machine Series boasts the world’s most advanced constant temperature and air processing system—its performance is unmatched and likely impossible to replicate within the next three years.

As research institutions across the globe began publishing their findings, a worldwide frenzy for Dual-Machine products erupted. Proxy buying services were in high demand.

From June 7th to June 15th, the buzz around Longxia’s Dual-Machine Series showed no signs of cooling down. It became the most talked-about electronic product on the planet, setting the trend for global consumer electronics.

On June 16th, Shui Lan International released a statement: between May 1st and June 15th, a total of 570 million mu of Off-site Rice had been planted worldwide. Currently, 90% of the rice has sprouted and begun to grow. This year’s total grain output is projected to recover to 17% of pre-disaster global levels.

“Thank you, Longxia, for the seeds.”

“We’ve already planted twenty mu of rice at home, and it’s growing beautifully. [Photo]”

…

Many farming households expressed heartfelt gratitude to Longxia. As the Off-site Seeds began to sprout, emotions ran high—they finally had hope for this year’s harvest.

Though Off-site Seeds cannot reproduce, the fact that global grain production is recovering to 17% of pre-disaster levels is a beacon of hope. As technology continues to advance, that number could rise to 27%, then 37%… People were thankful to Longxia—for the seeds, for the food, for a future.

Amid these ongoing developments, on June 15th, the Will Government issued an emergency bulletin: on June 15th, Weir reported twenty-three cases of abnormal illness, suspected to be linked to bacteria released from melting glaciers.

News outlets speculated that with global temperatures rising, the Weir Torres Mountains—home to the world’s most expansive glacial range—were beginning to thaw. These glaciers, frozen for centuries, contain vast quantities of dormant bacteria. As the ice melts, some of these microbes have already made their way into the ocean via ocean currents.