CHAPTER 427: CHAPTER 425 EMERGENCY MEETING

Since it was an emergency meeting and the military had used helicopters to directly bring people over, the attendees quickly gathered, and the meeting started immediately after everyone arrived.

Chen Xin entered the conference hall alone. Due to security restrictions, Lieutenant Deng was obviously not qualified to enter, so only Chen Xin was present.

Upon entering the hall, Chen Xin instinctively looked around to see what kind of people were attending the meeting.

However, most of the people around were either unfamiliar or he had only seen them on television. They mostly appeared serious, making the atmosphere at the venue quite somber, which instinctively made Chen Xin want to find a spot in a corner to sit.

After all, it was his first time attending such a high-level meeting, and Chen Xin was understandably nervous. He felt he was not really an expert, and it wasn’t his place to speak, so finding an inconspicuous spot, sitting quietly, and heading back after the meeting seemed like the best plan.

Just as Chen Xin was about to move to a corner seat, a staff member noticed him and hurriedly approached to say, "You must be Academician Chen Xin, right? Your seat is in the front. Let me guide you there."

Saying this, the staff led Chen Xin to the front rows of the conference room, placing him in a very prominent position.

The surrounding people couldn’t help but fix their gazes on him for a few seconds. After all, Chen Xin was very young; aside from the staff, there seemed to be no attendees younger than him in the conference room.

Especially as other attendees took their seats, Chen Xin found himself surrounded by elderly participants, many of whom he had seen on television, and some were even figures whose names appeared in textbooks, making Chen Xin feel increasingly uneasy.

If not for knowing the importance of this meeting, as well as having experienced some significant events himself, Chen Xin would have been tempted to flee from the room.

Though, thanks to the system, Chen Xin now held the title of Academician and was regarded as a key talent for the country, those around him were truly national treasures.

Previously, Chen Xin might have only fantasized about sitting alongside such people while daydreaming in his novel-writing, but he never dared to dream of being among them in reality.

Fortunately, this cautious mindset didn’t last long, as the meeting quickly commenced with the arrival of the high-ranking officials hosting the session.

"... According to current data analysis, the eruption of the Toba Volcano has not caused significant impacts on our country, but it has made the seismic zones in our Southwest Region more active. The likelihood of geological activity occurring in the Southwest Region in the future will increase..."

"... The meteorological department predicts that volcanic ash will spread to our country within the next week, though it won’t affect the current climate. The ash may fall on Qiong, Guangdong, Yunnan, and Tibet Provinces, but further analysis is required to determine the specific impact on those areas..."

"... The transportation department is already prepared, with forty nuclear-powered locomotives and sixteen newly developed nuclear evacuation trains ready for deployment in material transportation and personnel transfer work at any time. Our railway comrades will fully ensure the smooth operation of major railway lines..."

"... On the aviation front, currently, only helicopters can take off. Although we have urgently modified existing military transport helicopters, the current transport capacity is mainly used to ensure material transportation in highland and remote areas, unable to mobilize a large number of transport planes. Additionally, the reserve for available aviation fuel remains tight, unless strategic reserves are used..."

"... The agricultural production in the Lingnan Mountain Area and Qiong Province may be affected by volcanic ash, though current conditions suggest the impact might not be significant. However, if an earthquake occurs in the Southwest Region, it could severely impact agricultural production on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and Tibet Province currently completely relies on the Sichuan-Tibet Railway for material supplies, which would lead to unimaginable consequences if railway transportation is disrupted..."

In the conference room, attendees from different departments were discussing the potential impacts the Toba Volcano eruption might have on Flame Country.

At this moment, Chen Xin wanted to speak but didn’t even know where to begin, feeling unable to insert himself into the conversation. Moreover, he couldn’t quite grasp some of the extremely technical content spoken by certain experts.

However, from these speeches, Chen Xin could understand that the eruption of the Toba Volcano primarily brought geological activity impacts to Flame Country.

The Southwest Region of Flame Country is inherently located within a seismic zone, and it’s already a region prone to earthquakes. If the eruption of the Toba Volcano activates the seismic zones in the Southwest Region, it may likely result in frequent earthquakes there.

The disaster caused by earthquakes can vary greatly; mild tremors merely shake things briefly, often going unnoticed by humans, but severe earthquakes...

Every Flame Country citizen who experienced that devastating Sichuan Province earthquake affecting millions will never forget.

Especially now, with everyone residing in underground shelters, if a severe earthquake occurs strong enough to destroy buildings or alter terrain, the casualties would be unimaginable.

Yet Flame Country cannot relocate the entire population of the Southwest Region just because there might be an earthquake, not only due to the vast population and the enormous work and subsequent issues such a move would entail.

More importantly, the Southwest Region has always been Flame Country’s strategic hinterland, especially with the eastern coastal areas and even the mid-lower Yangtze regions flooded and frozen currently. The Southwest Region as a disaster-seldom-affected area becomes increasingly vital.

Obviously, in this situation, the country will not abandon the Southwest Region.

Given the current circumstances, not being affected is the best outcome for the Southwest Region, but if it is impacted, the only option is to strengthen its disaster resistance capabilities without giving up the entire greater Southwest.

What is needed to resist disasters?

Chen Xin turned over the materials handed out at the meeting and wrote this line with a pen on the blank backside.

The essentials for human survival are clothing, food, housing, and transportation. We now have Exoskeleton Protective Suits, which are more than sufficient for civil use, whether for warmth in the cold or outdoor work. In fact, even if a disaster really occurs, these suits can be used for rescue efforts.

Although food security might not be entirely guaranteed, at least there’s no crisis of hunger. However, from what Chen Xin heard from an agriculture specialist, domestic grain production has yet to meet consumption needs and ensure stable supply.

Currently, consumed items are those reserved prior to the disasters; even if Qiong Province and the Lingnan Region’s grain production remains unaffected, it is insufficient to meet national demands.

So while the food issue isn’t immediate, it certainly must be addressed promptly, and integrated ecological agriculture may need to be prioritized as the first problem to solve subsequently.

Chen Xin’s fingers tapped the table, but his mind focused on the remaining two matters.

"Housing" and "Transportation."