Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

June 22nd.

The flames across the observable mountain range near the bunker had mostly subsided. However, the heavy clouds covering the sky thickened, hanging low and oppressive. Even during the brightest hours of noon, the dim atmosphere resembled dusk.

One positive outcome was the stabilization of external temperatures, holding steady between 62 and 65 degrees Celsius.

On this day, after upgrading the floor of the newly excavated third level with reinforced concrete using survival points, the third layer of the bunker was officially completed.

"The third level of the bunker," Su Wu murmured as he admired the updated map on the control center's large display, "will be named the Breeding Facility."

From the comfortable cool of the control room, Su Wu gazed at the real-time 3D rendering of the bunker, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment. His sanctuary was growing more sophisticated and resilient every day.

After marveling at the structure for a moment, he opened a pre-prepared document and uploaded its design to the AI. This next stage would bring the breeding facility to life.

The new third level was dedicated to raising chickens, ducks, and fish to provide a steady supply of meat and eggs. While the concept seemed straightforward, its implementation was one of the most complex undertakings in the bunker, effectively creating a self-contained ecological system.

From cultivating feed crops to adjusting temperature and lighting, breeding, feeding, and disease control, every step was interconnected. Any issue in a single area could disrupt the entire facility or even affect the rest of the bunker.

"Breeding rooms, chicken coops, duck coops, fish pools, and the slaughter and processing lines," Su Wu muttered, glancing over the various sections of the design separated by reinforced concrete walls.

The facility was meticulously planned. Out of the available space, only the fish pools took up 100 square meters, while the combined area for the chicken and duck coops—capable of housing 2,500 birds—was similarly modest at 100 square meters. The remaining 500 square meters were dedicated to racks of hydroponic systems for growing barley and other fast-growing crops for feed.

Despite the massive space allocated for feed crops, it was a necessity. Without external sources for feed, the facility required this capacity to maintain a sustainable operation.

"Currently, I don't have live chickens, ducks, or fish. I'll need to procure them later from other bunkers. The renovation of the third level doesn't need to be rushed. I'll assign the engineer robot from the Mechanical Manufacturing Center and the security construction robot to handle the project slowly."

"The primary construction team can continue digging the fourth level."

Although the construction of the breeding facility was intricate, Su Wu didn't need to oversee the details. With a well-prepared blueprint and the AI managing the process, he focused on broader strategies while the project proceeded smoothly.

At night, there was intermittent restoration of network connectivity.

Su Wu was able to access fragmented information about the outside world.

Many official personnel were risking trips above ground to perform emergency maintenance on critical infrastructure and transportation routes. Some private and corporate bunkers struggling with emergencies were even receiving government rescue efforts, such as transferring residents to official bunkers or providing essential resources like clean water and medical supplies.

However, the city's electrical grid remained down with no foreseeable recovery. Electricity had become the most precious resource for all bunkers.

After gathering some external updates, Su Wu attempted to reconnect with others.

In the public doomsday chat group, nearly every avatar was gray, indicating inactivity. However, the smaller group for private bunker owners in Jianghe City was lively, filled with active discussions.

"Su Wu's here!"

"How's it going on your end?" asked Wang Jianguo, the head of the Steel Bunker, who was on familiar terms with Su Wu.

"Not bad. My bunker is in the outskirts, surrounded by gravel plains. I haven't encountered any significant threats," Su Wu replied.

In terms of safety, Su Wu's location was among the best. His remote farmhouse was far from rivers, situated on elevated land with nothing flammable nearby except for a few abandoned rural houses. The surrounding gravel provided an excellent natural barrier against fire.

"Lucky for you," Wang Jianguo sighed. "Poor Old Li didn't make it. His bunker was right in the mountains. The fire and toxic fumes overwhelmed them for days. When the rescue team finally arrived, they didn't find a single survivor."

Wang Jianguo's tone carried a sense of loss.

Old Li was one of the wealthier members of the group, known for purchasing a 5,000-square-meter decommissioned military bunker in the mountains. He had poured over a billion yuan into its renovations, making it one of the most advanced and luxurious shelters in the region. Yet despite his extensive preparations, he couldn't survive the first wave of disasters.

Su Wu fell silent, feeling a wave of relief.

He had once considered mountain bunkers to be ideal locations. Only his lack of funds and connections had led him to abandon the idea. In hindsight, his forced compromise had saved his life.

"How's your situation, Old Wang? Your location is pretty solid, isn't it?"

"What good is solid ground? The fire still reached our windbreak forest and burned down several factory buildings. On top of that, we didn't prepare for toxic fumes, and over a hun

dred people were knocked out." Wang Jianguo sounded frustrated.