CHAPTER 562: CHAPTER 460: REBUILDING LUCIA’S SHELTER

To meet Chen Xin’s needs for research and modification of the Weather Controller, a transport aircraft flies in from the Flame Country almost every few days.

The plane mainly carries various customized parts and related materials. Although Lucia could also provide some materials, the official situation in Lucia is currently almost at a dead end.

Thanks to assistance from the Flame Country, the epidemic situation has improved significantly and is temporarily under control, but domestic industrial production in Lucia is still virtually paralyzed.

Moreover, Lucia is now rebuilding its refuge facilities, which means that even if materials can be provided to Chen Xin, only some basic building materials in limited quantities are available.

Therefore, some crucial mechanical parts and raw materials can only be airlifted from the Flame Country.

Fortunately, the air routes are gradually becoming clear, and with the existence of air filters and electric engines, most aircraft are able to resume flying.

It is precisely because of this that Chen Xin can enjoy the privilege of having a special cargo plane come to deliver goods every few days.

Following the plane, besides the Weather Controller modification parts needed by Chen Xin, there are also additional aid materials for Lucia.

This part of the supplies consists mostly of emergency food to alleviate Lucia’s current food issues, but some are also equipment and materials needed for rebuilding Lucia’s Capital refuge.

Because it involves how many survival points Chen Xin can obtain, he is very concerned about this, so after finishing his tasks, he also comes along with a batch of supplies to the Lucia refuge he visited once before.

Compared to the war-torn appearance during Chen Xin’s last visit, the refuge now seems much improved.

Although it is under construction, with busy workers and flying dust everywhere, it’s clear that the previously damaged areas have been dealt with and repaired.

This is no longer the exclusive rich private refuge Chen Xin saw last time, but a new appearance used as a functional area linked with surrounding residential areas.

This was one adjustment Chen Xin made to Lucia’s original design plans, altering their initial layout.

Although the Lucians initially planned to make this place the core of the rebuilt refuge, they hadn’t considered expanding it. They even only intended to repair the original refuge for use.

Chen Xin wouldn’t just plan a refuge this way, so he specifically modified the design to expand the area, turning it into a functional zone sufficient for 6,000 refuge residents.

Besides specially emphasized greenhouses and dining halls by Chen Xin, the main expansions were private facilities prepared by the wealthy: family theaters, libraries, and gyms.

Originally, these were extravagant facilities for private enjoyment. In Lucia’s initial planning, it was retained for just a few people to use.

But after Chen Xin’s adjustments and expansions, these areas became public facilities, meeting the needs of more people.

Chen Xin also intended to design a large public bathroom and indoor swimming pool, but due to Lucia’s consideration for water conservation and personal privacy, these were replaced with individual bathrooms for each household.

Notably, although there are individual bathrooms for each household, Chen Xin did not design stoves for each family; all hot water is provided via the functional area’s heating system.

And these heating facilities are powered by Flame Country’s geothermal heat pumps.

They not only heat the entire refuge but also provide hot water for everyone to use.

When Chen Xin arrived, the workers in Lucia were laying heating pipes on the floor; even though the equipment’s main unit hadn’t arrived yet, the underfloor heating pipes could be laid first.

"What are you laying here? What’s this black stuff?" Chen Xin, with some curiosity, watched the workers embedding orange hoses into the grooves of the black mats and asked them.

The workers looked up at Chen Xin and the accompanying Lucia official. Seeing the official nod, they explained, "These are insulation pads made from recycled tires; they provide insulation and protection against the cold, with moisture-proof materials underneath. Next, the heating pipes just need to be laid in the pre-made grooves so the floor can be installed above."

"Sounds good, but recycled tires?" Chen Xin tilted his head, seemingly thinking of something, and smiled unexpectedly.

The Lucia official naturally was curious and, as they continued to inspect, asked Chen Xin, "Mr. Chen, why did you just smile?"

"Nothing, just thinking that since rubber can only be industrially produced now, natural rubber has vanished; even recycled rubber tires should be a very important resource, right?" Upon being asked, Chen Xin answered the official’s question.

However, regarding this point, the Lucia official could only helplessly say, "Before the disaster, recycling used tires into insulation mats was a form of resource reuse. At that time, Lucia had no shortage of rubber, whether it was petrochemical-produced synthetic rubber or imported natural rubber. Lucia could obtain sufficient resources, but now even recycled tires must be used sparingly."

"Ah, isn’t it the same for every country now?" Chen Xin, upon hearing the Lucia official’s sentiment, couldn’t help but sigh, "Before the disaster, humankind always talked about resource scarcity but didn’t focus on conservation. Every year, a massive amount of resources is wasted, not only wasted but also polluting the environment.

Countless people advocated for resource conservation, yet few truly paid attention to it. Now, everything has to be used sparingly; anyone who dares waste resources in this environment is truly courting disaster."

To this, the Lucia official also deeply agreed.

Compared to the Flame Country government, which prepared nationwide before the disaster, Lucia also prepared, but Lucia’s foundation and official control over the populace couldn’t achieve the same as Flame Country, compounded by the epidemic problem plunging the entire nation into chaos. They are currently genuinely troubled over resource issues.

The building materials used for this refuge reconstruction, quite a portion, were actually recovered from assets seized from oligarchs and the wealthy, dug out from the warehouses they controlled.

This was also why Lucia’s official design for the refuge reconstruction was so conservative; they were not only eliminating potential problems but also truly lacking resources to rebuild much.

Without materials aided by Flame Country, Lucia wouldn’t have consented to Chen Xin’s modified designs.