Extreme Cold Era: Shelter Don't Keep Waste
Chapter 148 Casualty Figures

Chapter 148: Chapter 148 Casualty Figures

Perfikot entered the warehouse, she could feel that the temperature inside was still within an acceptable range, with the furnace burning.

However, it was obvious that the fuel inside was already insufficient. Opening the firebox revealed the flames were somewhat small, with only a single log and some burnt coal remnants barely sustaining combustion, warmth only felt upon close proximity.

The coal was piled in the corner, simply boarded up, with some firewood stacked next to it.

It was clear this was temporarily stored, intended to prevent the inability to obtain fuel due to snow accumulation.

But evidently, their reserves weren’t sufficient. Judging from the black marks left on the walls, they’ve used up most of the stock.

"How many days can your fuel last?" Perfikot frowned, although the situation here was fairly optimistic, it was clear it wouldn’t last long.

"About two days. There’s still plenty of food, but medicine and fuel are nearly depleted," Lieutenant Mikhail quietly confided to Perfikot, whereas he had told the patients before she arrived that they could sustain for at least five days.

Perfikot knowingly nodded, took a turn around the warehouse, and found the mental state and emotions of most patients were relatively stable. Although some had symptoms, they weren’t particularly severe, which slightly eased her frown.

She could tell that most of these people suffered frostbite or various conditions caused by low temperatures.

The issues weren’t too severe, not life-threatening, but if fuel supply couldn’t be maintained and the warehouse’s temperature didn’t remain stable, they’d soon experience various problems due to hypothermia.

One must remember that the physical fitness of patients is considerably lower than that of normal people; without assured heating, they’d quickly freeze to death.

"Are there any patients in severe condition here?" Perfikot hadn’t fully understood everyone’s situation, only glancing around briefly before asking Mikhail beside her.

"There are some in severe condition, but after prioritizing their heating, we’ve managed to control it," Mikhail gave an unsatisfactory answer, with his words revolving around a crucial factor—heating.

As long as heating is assured, even outdoor temperatures of minus forty or fifty degrees wouldn’t be a concern.

But without heating, even without lowering the temperature to freezing point, people can freeze to death.

The warehouse they were in was designed by Perfikot, with walls filled with carbon sponge providing good thermal insulation, ensuring that with outside temperatures of minus tens of degrees, indoor temperatures could remain above zero.

The spaciousness inside the warehouse somewhat compromised this insulation effect, allowing temperatures to maintain around 10℃ when the furnace was ignited.

This temperature isn’t high, but not low either, as with adequate cold-proof clothing, it’s quite comfortable.

But with the current insufficient fuel supply, Perfikot sensed the entire warehouse’s temperature was only about 5-6℃, perhaps slightly higher near the furnace, but overall that’s all it was.

It is imaginable, once fuel runs out, what terrible situation would occur here.

Although the warehouse’s insulation effect wouldn’t result in many deaths from freezing, a few physically weak individuals might undoubtedly succumb.

Moreover, there’s another particularly awful problem; despite large reserves of food and supplies in the warehouse, once fuel supply is lost, people in the camp wouldn’t even have a mouthful of hot food.

In cold winter environments, without fuel for heating and without hot food, it’s downright disastrous.

The combined effects of both scenarios could result in a terrible situation Perfikot didn’t want to think about yet was evident with a glance.

Perfikot was also considering using the Flying Airship to transport severely ill patients to the colony on the New Continent. While medical conditions there might not be excellent, at least the temperature is higher, and heating could be ensured without problems.

However, Perfikot hadn’t mentioned this matter yet; she still needed to check the situation at the military camp.

After all, without a cold-proof warehouse there, the situation could potentially be far worse than here.

"I’ve already arranged for the railway line to be cleared, and we’re working on the fuel issue, just endure for two more days," Perfikot said a few comforting words, checked the stopped maid dolls, and prepared to leave the warehouse to see the situation at the camp.

At this moment, two assembled Steam Knights arrived at the warehouse, awaiting Perfikot’s orders.

"Have everyone go to the surrounding forest and bring back a few trees, chop them into firewood for temporary use," Perfikot directly ordered them, only after dispatching one Steam Knight to relay the order did she let another transport herself to the camp.

On the way to the camp, Perfikot didn’t use alchemy but relied on the Steam Knight’s powerful drive to ’force’ a path through the snow.

For a human, this would be difficult, but for a Steam Knight, it was effortless, their output was sufficient for this task.

Upon reaching the camp, the old butler Foster was already at the camp gates awaiting Perfikot’s arrival.

"Miss, you’ve arrived!" The old butler was somewhat excited upon seeing Perfikot, but overall remained steady, introducing the camp’s current situation before she could speak: "Apologies, Miss, due to the blizzard, many here have suffered severe frostbites, with a soldier casualty rate approaching twenty percent, mostly due to frostbite, cold, and typhoid. A small number of severe cases might require amputation.

Additionally, fifteen soldiers have already died, seven of whom were crushed by collapsing snow huts, and the remaining eight died from pneumonia induced by cold."

The old butler continued with a guilty tone: "I originally planned to send people to the warehouse, but the prior blizzard was too intense. Even with manual efforts, I couldn’t dig a passage, thus delaying, leading to these soldiers’ deaths."

"Not your fault in battle, I understand." Perfikot didn’t comfort the old butler nor showed indifference, but said: "Grandpa Fu, transfer the most severely ill soldiers to the Flying Airship, send them to New Shaker City first.

As for the others, I’ve started forty Steam Knights, they’ll bring back enough fuel from the forest."

Hearing Perfikot’s words, the tenseness on Foster’s face finally relaxed. He had previously wanted to send people for logging, but the Northern Territory’s weather wasn’t supportive of such actions.