Humans Shrunk 100 Times

Chapter 77: Thread

In the rainy days of June, the downpour intensified, accompanied by strong winds that rhythmically beat against the windows and doors of the storage room.

No wonder the little cat didn't come.

Cats dislike water, and their sensitivity to weather is probably higher than that of humans. So, at the moment, the cat is likely seeking shelter in some corner to avoid the rain.

These days, Chen Mu had gotten used to having a cat accompany him while he worked. The only difference was that he was inside while the cat stayed outside. The cat would occasionally scratch the door and meow, and if Chen Mu was in the mood, he would tap on the door panel. Though the sound was faint, the cat's sharp senses could probably pick up on it to some extent.

Thus, this became a way for the two to communicate occasionally.

After waiting for several days, the long-awaited rain finally arrived, and the heavens generously poured down abundant rainfall this time.

Within just one or two minutes, the outdoor drainage system started to work, and their newly constructed water diversion pipe also made noticeable sounds of flowing water.

"It really works!"

The gushing sound of water inside the pipe lifted everyone's spirits. After all, even Tang Jing wasn't a hundred percent sure that this massive project would run perfectly.

However, at this point, it was only a small section of the whole system that was functioning.

The pipe that connected to the indoor area directly led outside, but in the middle of the pipe, they had added an additional opening.

Deciding on the water inlet had caused Chen Mu a lot of trouble at the time.

Evidently, something as simple as a threaded cap, similar to the cap of a mineral water bottle, still presented a challenge to him.

This was always a headache for Chen Mu.

Now, he could do many unimaginable things with his supernatural powers. He had even become increasingly proficient with an Iron Man suit, and he could control a piece of plastic to take on a human form and dance gracefully. Yet, he was helpless when faced with a bottle cap.

The reason was simple.

It required precision, not imagination.

It had little to do with mental power as well.

This point was actually not hard to understand.

Humans can create exquisite paintings like the Mona Lisa, but without tools, most people can't even draw two parallel lines accurately.

And precision is one of the cornerstones of industrial civilization.

Chen Mu has always been trying to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses, using qualitative elements to replace quantitative ones whenever possible. For example, when it came to the water inlet, he initially intended to create a flip cover with a clasp to replace the threaded opening.

While this might result in slightly poorer sealing, it would be sufficient, as even if there were minor leaks, they would soon flow out through the door gap.

But upon further reflection, the so-called "playing to one's strengths and avoiding weaknesses" is not a commendatory term in this context.

If he wants to revive human civilization, his abilities are undoubtedly a shortcut, but if he can't even manufacture threaded gears and similar components, then the idea of revitalizing industry is nothing but a joke.

Therefore, Chen Mu immediately decided to try it out, no matter how difficult it may be.

He had seen many inspirational stories of overcoming technical difficulties in the early days of domestic development, and now, when applied to himself, it seemed somewhat appropriate.

Thus, even though he had been working beyond his capacity for the past few days, both physically and mentally exhausted, Chen Mu insisted on making a threaded cap.

The process was actually tedious—repeated trials and attempts.

He would work on making the threads when his energy was at its peak each day, and when tired, he would switch to other simpler tasks. He continued this routine until the entire water diversion project was completed.

Finally, the threaded cap was successfully made.

It was a 1-centimeter-diameter, all-white plastic threaded cap. Since there was no rubber ring for sealing, he carefully created a groove on the inside of the cap.

This was possibly the first truly industrial product since the end of human civilization, immediately attracting everyone's attention.

Everyone went up to touch it.

Tang Jing was particularly full of praise, but then came some difficult-to-understand terms like "check valve" and "Y-type filter," leaving everyone at a loss for words.

The heavy rain lasted for about a minute.

He Ying said, "I'll go and open the water outlet."

The water outlet was positioned at a height of about a dozen centimeters. Although Chen Mu had built a ladder, He Ying usually volunteered for climbing tasks.

"Wait a moment," Tang Jing said.

"Why? What if the rain stops soon?"

"Judging from the rain's appearance, it won't stop anytime soon. The initial rainwater is not suitable for use; we should wait at least ten minutes."

"Is there a reason for that?"

"Because it's dirty. Let the rainwater flush the roof first. The water collected after some time will be relatively cleaner."

"Is that so?"

"Initial rainwater is a crucial concept. For industries like steel and chemical companies, the first ten minutes of rainwater need to be collected and treated properly, not discharged randomly," Tang Jing explained.

"Okay."

In truth, the others couldn't quite understand what was being discussed, but they were used to not delving into the details.

As they listened to the even more majestic sound of the rain compared to the last time, ten minutes quickly passed.

"Alright, we can open it now," Tang Jing said, timing it.

"I'll do it," He Ying nodded.

"I'll help too. The lid is too large, and the force of the water might make it hard for one person to handle," Chen Mu said, climbing up with He Ying.

For ease of use, Chen Mu had constructed a platform near the water inlet, large enough for three to five people to stand on.

The two of them stood on opposite sides, holding the round lid with both hands.

"Turn!"

One turn, two turns...

As they unscrewed the lid, the water impatiently rushed out.

"Be careful, step aside."

At the moment the lid was completely removed, the two couldn't hold it anymore, and they let it be carried away by the water flow, getting splashed in the process and getting soaked.

"Damn, forgot about this issue."

Chen Mu helplessly watched the enormous plastic lid being washed away and felt a bit frustrated.

However, the water flow from the water inlet accurately shot into the settling tank, which relieved everyone.

They quickly came down, along with the others, retreated to a safe distance, and watched the water diversion project in operation.

The water gradually started to flow into the settling tank, and as the water level reached its highest point, it flowed through the overflow outlet and entered the water storage tank.

After a few more minutes, the water storage tank was filled, and the excess water was drained through the overflow outlet to the outside.

Since it was the first time in use, all containers needed to be flushed several times. Chen Mu opened the drain pipe at the bottom of the water storage tank, and soon, the draining speed exceeded the inflow speed, causing the water level to drop again.

After a few more cycles of this, they closed the drain pipe.

"We did it!" Tang Jing clapped her hands.

Everyone looked at the towering tank filled with water in front of them, feeling an indescribable joy.

The days of not being able to take a bath might soon be gone for good.

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