Chapter 4879

The matter still has to start from Brainiac's large-scale water body testing activity. Last summer, a certain place in Wisconsin experienced a large-scale drinking water poisoning incident. Under Brainiac's investigation, it was discovered that the entire groundwater system there had been contaminated, related to a non-compliant discharging factory that had not been shut down in time. Thus, a vigorous inspection operation began.

The blue Earth has extremely abundant water bodies. Besides oceans, groundwater systems are everywhere. Abundant freshwater sustains and nourishes humanity. But humanity's way of repaying Mother Earth can be described as shocking.

Brainiac's investigation found that the entire Earth's water cycle has begun to show problems. This is because, since humanity entered the industrial era, the pollution generated has continuously accumulated in groundwater systems and entered the water cycle system, beginning to participate in natural circulation.

Earth does have a certain self-cleaning ability, but it cannot clean without limits. Humanity's discharge behavior has already reached a critical point, and the groundwater situation in most regions is not optimistic, and Cat Cat Getan is even worse.

For hundreds of years, various disasters that have befallen Cat Cat Getan have caused its water cycle to basically脱离 the realm of carbon-based life, and it can be said to be complementary with Cat Cat Getan's people, striving to achieve each other, hand in hand rushing madly toward the filth.

Originally, when talking about freshwater body pollution, no matter how you say it, it shouldn't fall on Shiler's doorstep that lake, the Cat Cat Getan River should be the first to bear the brunt. Brainiac originally thought so too. Until, he arranged for two underground machine rooms near the nature reserve to leak water, directly burning his six sets of servers, Brainiac only then realized how serious the situation had become.

After some investigation, the water that could leak into this place through the groundwater system could only possibly be from the lake. Thus, Brainiac tested the lake water, getting no indicators, after all, if it had corrosivity comparable to dilute sulfuric acid, no indicators would be needed.

Saying it is dilute sulfuric acid, it's actually not entirely so. It's more like a certain bacterial contamination, but the bacteria's method of ingestion is not too ordinary, making the water appear corrosive. Not wanting his servers to die too unjustly, Brainiac began to investigate why the water body had become like this.

Then, naturally, some people heard the wind, unanimously took their annual leave, and stayed away from this place of right and wrong. Those who didn't leave were also occupied by some other urgent matters, unable to spare a hand to investigate.

Brainiac had no choice but to first try to manage the pollution, then investigate the culprit. Although this is more likely to become a headless cold case program in the following episodes, Brainiac still does not intend to give up.

Early morning, the sky slightly brightened, but it was still沉沉的、潮濕的, as plants increased, Cat Cat Getan's hue changed from dark沉黄色 to a slightly brighter gray-green. It can also be called lush and verdant, though it inevitably gives a feeling of impending wind and rain.

When the egg liquid fell into the pan, it made a sizzling sound, indistinguishable from the pattering rain outside the window, and the program on the TV kept playing. Shiler pressed the button on the toaster, and the golden-brown bread slices popped out, which he placed on a plate.

Carrying breakfast to the table, Shiler was about to eat when the TV's sound suddenly stopped. He turned his head to look, and the TV screen went black.

Shiler first finished his breakfast, then went to check the TV's condition. He turned on the light switch, found it also not lit, and then realized it was a power outage.

"The nearby power tower was struck by lightning," Brainiac said, "probably causing a power outage of 1~2 hours, and it will be fixed soon."

This is not unbearable. Shiler went upstairs to fetch a stack of student homework, preparing to grade it using the light in the living room. The time spent grading homework always passes slowly; after grading for half a day, the power still hadn't returned, so Shiler looked up toward the window outside.

Suddenly, the door was knocked on. Shiler first turned his head to look, then stood up, walked over, and opened the door. Standing outside was actually Dr. Ethan.

This is one of the scientists Shiler found who was willing to follow him to this universe. Ethan from the central universe where Greed resides rushed over when he happened to pull him out of Afghanistan. In the United States, he has no relatives or friends left, so he followed Shiler here.

Brainiac assigned him a house, possibly following the principle of proximity, right in this community where Shiler lives. However, it is some distance from Shiler's house, on the other side of the lake.

"How did you come here?" Shiler asked.

"The power is out." Ethan differs from ordinary scientists; he is a military doctor who has been on the battlefield. Tall and strong, he is always vigilant, subconsciously reaching for the gun at his waist.

He suffers from a certain degree of post-war trauma, which is old news. Fortunately, it's not severe; Shiler has given him several psychological counseling sessions, and now he is basically fine.

Shiler thought Ethan was having a trauma flare-up, so he let him in, poured him a cup of hot water, and then said: "Indeed, some people do have episodes during thunderstorms..."

"Oh, I'm not here for that reason." Ethan took a sip of water and said, "A power outage is not a good phenomenon; we should gather together as soon as possible to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation."

Shiler's hand holding the cup paused for a moment. This cannot be said to be Ethan overreacting, but if it were a few years earlier, this would be the vigilance of the chosen ones of Cat Cat Getan. Now it cannot be said to be completely baseless, and if people gather with Shiler, the possibility of others taking advantage would be greatly reduced. Shiler suspects Brainiac sent him.

But after thinking again, he felt it impossible. Although Ethan is a scientist, he dislikes Brainiac, usually doesn't like talking to him, and would certainly not listen to him; it might just be the caution of an old soldier.

When natural disasters occur, the hardest to defend against is human harm. Indeed, many people will take advantage during earthquakes or floods to make a fortune, especially in countries where guns are not banned, making it easy for unrest to appear. At such times, community members will spontaneously organize themselves, and the earliest militia groups were formed for this purpose.

Even if not in Cat Cat Getan, such situations occur from time to time. Especially after a power outage, communication is not smooth enough, and lighting conditions at night are also worrying. If there are bandits, it is indeed difficult to defend against.

"We have no neighbors," Shiler told him, "besides us two, the surrounding houses are all empty, and the nearest household is about 20 miles away."

"Why?" Ethan was somewhat shocked. He glanced out the window; the villas outside were all very good, and the scenery here is also quite nice, so there should be people.

"Explaining this is somewhat complicated," Shiler said, "I'm afraid we have to start from Cat Cat Getan's situation and slowly tell..."

Just as he said this, the lights suddenly came on.

"Power is back." Shiler said.

But at this moment, the TV screen lit up briefly, flickered, and then quickly went out again. Shiler walked over to check, while Ethan, sitting on the sofa, immediately saw the problem: "Did you not turn off the switch before the power outage?"

Shiler shook his head. Ethan sighed and said: "After a power outage, you must turn off the switches of all electrical appliances to avoid unstable current when power returns, which could burn out the equipment."

Shiler's hand resting on the TV froze. He indeed did not know. First, because the place where he used to live had ample power supply. Second, his electrical appliances were originally few, so the chance of failure was low.

Ethan walked over to take a look, then said: "Hand me the screwdriver; let me see if I can fix it..."

Shiler went to fetch the toolbox for him. Ethan tinkered a bit, successfully pried off a panel, then said: "Indeed, it's burned out; this needs to be replaced, and now there's probably nowhere to get one."

Shiler sighed. The rainy season originally had nothing to do; does he really have to grade homework until night?

At this moment, Ethan had already been drawn to the homework on the table and said: "Is this your students' homework? Can I look at it?"

"You can look, but I don't suggest you do, as it might trigger your trauma." Shiler seemed still to be thinking about how to fix the TV.

Ethan, however, ignored those concerns, sat down at the table, and began to look at it with great interest. He said: "I don't know much about psychology, but I can help you correct grammatical errors; I haven't done this in a long time."

"Did you used to be a professor?"

"No," Ethan shook his head and said, "but I used to be my professor's good assistant; many junior students' surgeries were guided by me. By the way, why don't you find a few students to help you?"

"They're all very busy," Shiler said, "extracurricular activities are very rich. And I also don't have funding to let them come help."

"Are you doing theory?" Ethan asked, "That indeed is a bit troublesome. Not letting your students be credited, you can't find people to help you; letting them be credited might deal a fatal blow to your academic reputation. Truly hard to choose."

"There's nothing hard to choose; they also don't want to put their names on my articles, each has their own research direction." Shiler also sat down at the table, although he picked up homework to start reading, his mind was still full of fixing the TV. Compared to grading homework, even repairing household appliances is much more interesting.

The rain outside the window grew heavier and heavier; this is indeed a bad omen. Water began to gradually accumulate on the road surface, meaning the drainage system may have reached its limit, and not far from the house is a lake.

"The problem of water body pollution in the lake has not been completely resolved; if the lake water overflows, it will deal a fatal blow to the house." Brainiac's voice sounded, "Pack up your things, Professor, we may need to evacuate."

"I don't want to abandon my house." Shiler tried to refuse. Although his house doesn't contain anything very valuable, he absolutely does not want his house to be messed up. If he were here, he could actually use gray mist to protect the house.

"The residents here must evacuate uniformly to the north," Brainiac said, "Cat Cat Getan University has already evacuated. Are you really not going, Professor?"

"Cat Cat Getan University evacuated?" Shiler frowned and said, "How would that side flood?"

"First, not talking about the internal lake, Cat Cat Getan University is not far from the Cat Cat Getan River and is located in the downstream area, so the situation is not optimistic."

Compared to his own house, Shiler is still more worried about Cat Cat Getan University. He hesitated for a moment, then said: "Where should we evacuate to?"

"There are many villas in the north; I can pick you the most luxuriously renovated one." Brainiac assured.

Then, an hour later, Shiler saw Alberto and Cobpot in the villa. Alberto walked up and shook hands with Shiler, saying: "Long time no see, Professor. You came in the rain—what brings you here?"

Shiler revealed a cold smile, but it was directed at Brainiac. Among the many vacant villas in the north, he happened to pick the only one with someone living in it—the Falcone family manor.

"Nothing much," Shiler said, "I'm a bit worried about Cobpot. Cobpot, are you okay?"