"4-1209 Slacking Off: I saw that too. The mastermind who withheld our communityâs coal is named Zara Walsh. I heard sheâs some rich heiress. *Spits*! So disgusting!"
"2-1408 Bella Grant: Iâm disgusted too. That woman is so malicious. We should put up a sign at the community gate one of these days that says: No Zara Walsh or dogs allowed!"
"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: The worst part is, her name reminds me of my Buddyâs nickname. I feel like Zara Walsh has tainted it. What terrible luck!"
"2-1408 Bella Grant: Did you guys see the list of illegally withheld supplies in that announcement? At first, I was angry when I saw that our communityâs coal was being withheld, but the more I read, the more shocking it got..."
"2-1408 Bella Grant: Some communities didnât even get down jackets, and others have their food supplies cut off from time to time. Itâs just awful. What kind of lives are they living? I canât even bear to think about it..."
"6-2102 A Happy Family: @2-1408 Bella Grant Your community is actually doing really well! My family just moved here from another community. Iâll be honest with you, before we came here, I had no idea you could get two sand vine cakes every day!"
"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: @6-2102 A Happy Family So how did you get them before? Wasnât it two a day?"
"6-2102 A Happy Family: @3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two Two a day from Monday to Friday, and one a day on Saturday and Sunday! And sometimes the supply would be cut for a day on Thursday!"
"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: @6-2102 A Happy Family Huh? No way! My husband canât even get full on two cakes a day. If it was only one, wouldnât he starve to death?"
"6-2102 A Happy Family: @3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two Sigh, I donât know if anyone starved to death, but plenty of people froze to death..."
"6-2102 A Happy Family: My family moved out of our old community a week ago. I heard four or five people froze to death that very night! Your community only had this one shipment of coal withheld. Our old community never got any at all!"
"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: @6-2102 A Happy Family Oh my god, thatâs horrible..."
"12-1803 AAA Lawsonâs Building Materials - Closed: @6-2102 A Happy Family Sounds like the supply managers over there were really lining their pockets."
"6-2102 A Happy Family: @12-1803 AAA Lawsonâs Building Materials - Closed Youâre telling me! Every last one of them is fat and flush with cash! I heard one of them even bought a sprawling, river-view apartment in the city center!"
"Property Management: @All Hello, residents. Due to the recent blizzards making travel difficult, The Metropolis Residences Emergency Office, in accordance with government directives, has decided to distribute a two-month supply of provisions, effective today."
"Property Management: @All All residents, please proceed to the supply distribution point with your ID. Each person can collect a two-month supply of sand vine cakes, five pounds of rice, one bag of white sugar, one barrel of drinking water, 10 solid fuel tablets, and one box of coal..."
"Property Management: @All For those who have difficulty leaving their homes to collect supplies, such as the elderly, weak, sick, or disabled, please contact Property Management staff to register. A staff member will deliver the items directly to your door shortly thereafter."
"Property Management: @All Furthermore, the Emergency Office will be setting up temporary stations on various floors of each apartment building in preparation for potential road blockages from the blizzard. We ask that residents do not panic if the blizzard makes it impossible to go outside."
The moment the message from Property Management appeared, the community group chat exploded.
"2-1408 Bella Grant: Five pounds of rice?! Oh my god, I canât even remember the last time I ate rice!"
"7-901 Adventurous Lawson: @2-1408 Bella Grant I remember. It was last New Yearâs! For last New Yearâs, they not only gave out rice, but pork too! Iâll never forget that New Yearâs Eve dinner for as long as I live..."
"4-1009 Lowell On Deadline: Sigh, more than half a year has passed in a flash. In that time, weâve lived through a volcanic eruption and the long night, and now a blizzard is starting... I wonder whatâll be waiting for us this time next year."
"4-1209 Slacking Off: Who cares? Letâs just focus on surviving until then! For now, just let me eat my rice."
"7-901 Adventurous Lawson: With five pounds of rice and a bag of sugar, Iâve got the motivation to keep living again!"
"7-408 Gone with the Wind: Thereâs still rice? No oneâs been able to farm for the past two years. It couldnât be from the stockpile two years ago, could it?"
"2-1908 Coco: @7-408 Gone with the Wind No, I saw the government document. This is a new grain harvest. Itâs being supplied by that government-backed Rhodes Enterprises. I heard they started preparing for this over six months in advance. That must have been really tough."
"4-1009 Lowell On Deadline: My cousin works at Rhodes Enterprises! He just does odd jobs there, but heâs so proud he could burst."
"4-1209 Slacking Off: Are you guys still chatting? Hurry up and go get the supplies! While the snow isnât too heavy."
"4-1009 Lowell On Deadline: @4-1209 Slacking Off Whatâs the rush? Itâs the first day, so itâs bound to be crowded. Iâd rather wait until tomorrow than freeze waiting in line."
"4-1209 Slacking Off: @4-1009 Lowell On Deadline The snow was already over three feet deep this morning. If you wait until tomorrow... Arenât you afraid the entrance to the building will be buried in snow by then?"
"4-1009 Lowell On Deadline: @4-1209 Slacking Off Good point... Iâm heading out now!"
"..."
Melody Summers scrolled through the chat messages. Seeing everyone heading out excitedly to collect their supplies, she thought for a moment and decided to donate some of her own supplies to the community residents as well.
After all, Zara Walsh had withheld The Metropolis Residencesâ coal because of her. The other residents of The Metropolis Residences were just innocent victims caught in the crossfire.
Even though Zara Walsh, the perpetrator, had now been punished, Melody Summers still wanted to do her part to compensate the residents a little.
So, Melody Summers locked her apartment door and returned to the Arcadian Space.
She walked over to the Arcadian Warehouse, where the coal she had previously mined from the Arcadian Mines was piled in a corner.
Melody Summers had originally prepared this coal for heating during the blizzard, but a while ago she had unlocked the "Offshore Oil Field."
The Offshore Oil Field was incredibly productive, producing at least several hundred liters of fuel oil and natural gas every day, which was enough to heat the Summers familyâs home for the next six months. Therefore, she could spare some of this coal for her neighbors in the community.
Melody Summers had Albus manipulate the space, transferring several dozen tons of coal to a hidden spot on the mountain behind the community.
Then she rummaged around the warehouse again and found the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins she had stockpiled before. These items were all very easy to store, could be eaten after simple cooking, and were high in starch, providing plenty of calories.
She had Albus transfer these items to the mountain as well.
After arranging the supplies, Melody Summers had the system send a message to Manager Grant from a virtual number:
[Hello. I have left some coal and food on the mountain behind The Metropolis Residences. Please take some people to retrieve it and distribute it to the residents.]
After sending the message, Melody Summers still felt a little uneasy. She asked Albus, "They wonât be able to trace the message back to us, will they? I donât want to blow my cover."
Albus replied:
[Rest assured, Host. This message, just like with the Arcadia Shop before, was directly implanted into Manager Grantâs phone! Thereâs absolutely no way to trace it.]
Hearing this, Melody Summers finally relaxed.
She stretched, picked up her hoe, and got ready to plant more potatoes and sweet potatoes!