Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

After temporarily sorting out the issues at the limestone mine, Su Wu turned his attention elsewhere.

At this time, the Scavenger Fleet, which had been recalled, had arrived at the Farmhouse Shelter and was lining up for modifications on the sixth underground level.

Since the scavenger fleet primarily transported scrap metal salvaged from ruins, their vehicles didn't need to be completely sealed like the regular transport fleets. Enhancing their waterproofing and adding a few drainage holes in the cargo beds would suffice.

"Looks good."

"Time to get some rest; the rest can wait until tomorrow."

After glancing at the modification process and finding nothing amiss, Su Wu decided to take a break.

He had already completed everything on his to-do list. The AI and the tens of thousands of mobilized workers would handle the rest without his intervention.

Leaving the control center, Su Wu washed up and returned to his bedroom, only to find Chen Yue already asleep on his bed, hugging a pillow tightly.

Pausing for a moment, Su Wu chose not to wake her. Instead, he carefully lay down beside her, gently pulling her into his arms.

The sweet scent of her freshly showered body filled his senses, bringing him a rare moment of peace.

"Perhaps it's time to officially make her mine," Su Wu mused as he drifted off to sleep.

---

While Su Wu slept, elsewhere in Jianghe City, tens of thousands of people were still toiling through the night under his orders.

At the Jingyuan Shelter's entrance, the large crater created by the 750mm rocket had been completely repaired. In its place now stood a tall elevator platform, allowing people to access the shelter.

Outside the platform, Duan Lei was clad in a raincoat, shoveling the last bit of gravel from a puddle. The rainwater drained into a man-made trench, and with a sigh of relief, he carried his tools back to a temporary rain shelter nearby.

"Hey, Xiao Duan, tired?" called a middle-aged worker sipping hot water under the shelter.

"A bit, but it's manageable," Duan Lei replied, shaking off his raincoat. "Feels like running a 5-kilometer race back in school."

After rinsing his hands and face with warm water provided in the shelter, Duan Lei pulled out his phone, carefully protected in an inner pocket, and checked it. The refreshed notification on the screen made him breathe a genuine sigh of relief.

> [Duan Lei, you have successfully completed your task for this round.]

[You have earned 2 contribution points and a 20-minute rest period.]

[Please do not leave the designated area during your break.]

[Rest period countdown: 19 minutes, 12 seconds—]

"So precise," Duan Lei muttered, noting how the rest period began the moment he stepped into the shelter. Not a second more or less.

He understood that the AI had designed a personalized schedule for him, ensuring he neither slacked off nor became overworked. Each task was tailored to the perfect balance.

Taking a seat in the rain shelter, Duan Lei felt his hunger kick in. He pulled out the ration given to him before departure and began to eat.

The food, wrapped in aluminum foil, consisted of several long, bar-shaped items. They tasted like lightly salted mashed potatoes—not exactly delicious but far better than the worm paste and grain mush they used to receive.

Once finished, Duan Lei carefully folded the foil and tucked it away. The foil was considered communal property, and upon returning to the shelter, it would need to be handed over for recycling. Losing it could cost three to five contribution points, essentially wiping out several hours of work.

Despite the strict rules, Duan Lei didn't mind. In a world where resources were scarce and external supply channels nearly nonexistent, such meticulous management was for everyone's benefit.

"Uncle Ming, you finished before me again," Duan Lei said to a middle-aged man seated nearby. "You're so fast at your tasks."

The man, Yang Ming, was in the same workgroup as Duan Lei, performing similar tasks. But Yang's speed often earned him longer breaks, a fact Duan Lei couldn't help but envy.

"Habit, I guess," Yang replied with a laugh. "Back on construction sites, the workload was way tougher than this."

"Honestly, the new leadership isn't too bad," he continued. "Everything's organized for you; all you have to do is show up and work. Tools break? Someone brings replacements right away. Feeling thirsty? There's hot tea ready during breaks. Feels like being treated like royalty."

As a seasoned construction worker, Yang Ming was amazed by the seamless coordination. It felt almost dreamlike to him.

"That's not leadership; it's the AI," Duan Lei clarified. "The phones and wristbands they make us wear are so the AI can monitor us and keep everything running smoothly."

Yang Ming waved dismissively. "Same difference. Being watched isn't a bad thing. Makes sure everything we need is taken care of. Back under the old boss, no one cared whether we lived or died. Jobs were hard to come by."

"You're not wrong," Duan Lei admitted, recalling the days when hunger and uncertainty were constant companions. "This is definitely better. But it'd be nice if they didn't push us so hard. Dragging us out in the middle of the night to dig drainage ditches in the rain? That's just cruel."

"Yeah, I get that," Yang Ming said, nodding. "It's exhausting, working in the rain. Takes three times the effort to get the same amount done. Not sure what the higher-ups are thinking."

"Probably some bigwig's idea of fun," Duan Lei muttered. "I've heard some of

them like seeing us scramble around for their amusement."

(End of Chapter)