Humans Shrunk 100 Times

Chapter 90: Assigned Quarters

For those born in a country of food lovers, eating is often the most fundamental and intuitive experience of this world.

When there's something edible, nothing else matters.

At this moment, Lu Shanshan finally understood why the appearance and mental state of these people seemed unchanged from before in the face of the apocalypse; it seemed as if they had just changed their place of living.

It was evident.

Even just having a hot meal made them feel superior.

Studies have shown that consuming meat and blood for a long time can change a person's temperament and even their mindset.

...

The four people quickly devoured the greasy pancakes at an unimaginable speed, even licking the plates, still unsatisfied.

However, Dong Junwei didn't continue to provide them with more food. On one hand, she was afraid they would overeat and harm themselves, and on the other hand, with no stable food source available, they had to be prudent with their resources. Besides, she was well aware of the principle of not exhausting one's kindness.

"Eating so well, this can't be a last meal, can it?" said a male student named Xue Xu, who was also capable of releasing gas. Apparently, he had a rather unique imagination. After finishing the meal, he cautiously looked at the people around him.

"If it were the last meal, we wouldn't waste so much food," Dong Junwei smiled and continued, "If you don't have a place to go for now, you can stay here. We can provide food, water, and shelter, but you'll need to exchange it with some labor. After all, we're all facing tough times."

She didn't directly invite them but used this gentle approach to keep them around.

If she directly invited them and they refused, it would be a dilemma. The regulations of the Dawn group had just been established, allowing existing members to leave freely, let alone forcing others to join.

But according to Chen Mu and Tang Jing, these four people were a significant help to the team and should be kept at all costs.

It's amusing if you think about it.

In Chen Mu's eyes, it was Dawn that needed them more.

In essence, this so-called gentle approach carried a subtle hint of coercion.

Both Dong Junwei and Chen Mu didn't like doing this, but under the current circumstances, they had to resort to some means. After all, as things stood, superpowers were the most valuable assets. Having four more superpowered individuals suddenly appear, they couldn't easily let them go.

On the other hand, Lu Shanshan and the others clearly didn't think that far ahead.

After daybreak, they finally saw the room's surroundings clearly.

From a broader perspective, it was still just an ordinary storage room.

However, at the current scale of humanity, it was undeniably astonishing.

The two rooms that Chen Mu had repeatedly improved and renovated looked as exquisite as the previous single-story houses.

Not far from there was the kitchen and stove.

When Du Jiajia was cooking, the four of them watched her skillful actions, and the various bottles and jars of oil, salt, and seasonings on the stove made them feel like they had returned to their pre-apocalyptic home kitchen.

But what left them truly amazed was the water supply system.

A huge plastic water tank stood by the door, filled with clear water, providing a striking visual impact.

The series of pipes and apparatus connected to it left Lu Shanshan and the others completely puzzled.

Had industrial civilization been revived?

Finally, when Dong Junwei pointed out the location of the restroom, the four of them were left speechless.

They couldn't help but think of clinging to this place.

At this point, even if they were chased away, they would stubbornly try to stay.

"What exactly do you need us to do?" Lu Shanshan asked, her mind spinning. After all, these people were living a good life already, and there was no need for them to add some unnecessary people if they didn't have any utility value. Who would be willing to accept them?

Dong Junwei smiled and said, "Of course, it's about doing what you can. Within the team, everyone has their own roles. If you awaken an ability, we will definitely prioritize tasks related to that ability."

"But our abilities are still very weak."

Lu Shanshan had a certain understanding of her abilities, but when she tried to apply them practically, she realized that her capabilities were quite limited. The people around her seemed to be in the same situation. It was as if God had opened the door for them, but only a tiny crack was revealed, leaving them itching for more.

"Everyone starts from being weak and gradually grows stronger. Besides, even if you don't have special abilities, there are many other things you can do, so there's no need to worry about such matters."

"Well then, if you don't mind, I hope to stay. Um... as long as there's food like we had just now, I'm willing to do anything," Lu Shanshan finally made up her mind.

"Me too."

"Me too..."

"..."

The four of them, who had been tormented by hunger for a long time, expressed their willingness one after another.

Chen Mu could somewhat anticipate this outcome, but he still felt relieved. These four people, especially Lu Shanshan, played a crucial role for him.

...

Although they hadn't formally joined the Dawn group, Dong Junwei still arranged treatment for the four people as if they were official members.

They each got plates and water cups with their names engraved on them and had their exclusive squatting positions in the restroom.

Regarding the latter, the reason why they didn't consider communal facilities and instead put effort into making sixteen separate squatting positions was twofold. Firstly, they had enough space, and secondly, it was for hygiene reasons.

In fact, with the current human size, the poop they produce is quite miniature. The smaller the volume, the higher the surface area-to-volume ratio, resulting in rapid evaporation of moisture. Therefore, if it's just a lump of feces, it will dry out quickly, making it more acceptable in terms of odor and visual appearance. Some inherent human tendencies make people know it's gross, but they can't resist taking a glance.

In the current situation where sewage disposal is not feasible, this is relatively acceptable and easier to clean out. However, if everyone shared the same squatting position, it could lead to a vicious cycle of feces smearing onto another lump before it dries. Moreover, the crucial point is that looking at someone else's poop is different from looking at your own.

In light of this, after their abilities evolved, Chen Mu further redesigned the restroom. Now, each person's squatting position is divided into two sections, separating solid waste from liquid waste to facilitate evaporation of moisture. Additionally, handrails were added on both sides to help people stand up after squatting for a long time.

Chen Mu even considered the possibility of converting the toilets to sit-down ones in the future...

This was a touchy subject, but it was practical. When Chen Mu and Tang Jing were discussing this matter initially, even Dong Junwei and others had strange expressions. However, after the restroom was constructed, everyone understood its advantages.

Of course, sewage disposal still needed consideration. After all, no matter how dry it becomes, feces are still feces, and it won't turn into a pleasant fragrance. Depending solely on manual cleaning is not a long-term solution.

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