Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

As the bandits surrounded the truck, attempting to coerce someone into opening the door, Su Wu—far away in his suburban bunker—received the truck's distress alert.

He immediately dropped the game he had been engrossed in and sprinted to the control center.

"Explosion detected. Large truck veered off-road and crashed into a nearby house?"

A quick glance at the log on the control console provided Su Wu with a clear picture of the situation.

It was a robbery. And not just any robbery—these were skilled criminals, judging by their use of explosives.

After a moment's thought, Su Wu made his decision and issued a series of combat commands.

"Unit 3, retrieve the assault rifle. Load ammunition and lower the window. Engage all moving targets outside."

"Unit 4, equip the crossbow. Provide auxiliary support as needed."

There was no room for negotiation with bandits bold enough to use explosives. Eliminating them was the safest course of action.

As Su Wu gave his orders, the control center's advanced computer system—acting as the core of the bunker's intelligence—immediately ramped up its power consumption. Under the direction of the AI, additional combat algorithms were loaded to enhance the capabilities of the two construction robots assigned to the mission.

Within seconds, the preparations were complete.

The window on Unit 3's side of the truck began to lower.

"Boss, there's movement!"

Outside, the spotter known as Xiao Qi was the first to notice the window lowering.

Reacting instinctively, he dropped his loudspeaker, crouched low, and darted toward the truck. With practiced precision, he pulled a homemade explosive from his bag, lit the fuse, and hurled it through the open window.

Xiao Qi's swift and deadly move made it clear he intended to leave no survivors.

The explosive sailed smoothly through the window, thanks to his well-honed technique. But just as he ducked for cover to avoid the blast, a glint of light from inside the truck caught his eye—a dark, cylindrical shape.

It was a gun barrel, angled downward and aimed squarely at him.

"Sh—!"

Xiao Qi barely had time to curse before a single bullet pierced his forehead, ending his life.

Almost simultaneously, the explosive he had thrown detonated inside the cab.

Flames and thick smoke engulfed the confined space, spilling out through the open window in lazy curls.

"They've got guns."

Watching from a distance, Lu Gaofeng, the bandit leader, felt a chill run down his spine. Seeing Xiao Qi's lifeless body only confirmed his cautious instincts had been correct.

But the truck had just taken a direct hit inside its cab. Even if someone in there had been armed, they couldn't have survived such a blast—not in such a confined space.

"Lu Liu, Hong Shan, go pry open the cab. Find the keys to the cargo hold," Lu Gaofeng ordered. His tone was calm, confident that the threat had been neutralized.

The two lackeys nodded and cautiously approached the truck with a crowbar and a bat.

But before they could reach the cab, its door suddenly swung open from the inside.

Out stepped a hulking, steel-framed robot, scorched black from the explosion, holding an assault rifle.

"What the hell is that thing?"

The sight of the soot-streaked construction robot, its steel frame reflecting the dim light ominously, stunned the bandits. For a moment, they froze in disbelief.

That moment was all the robot needed. Raising its rifle, it began to fire.

"Take cover!" Lu Gaofeng shouted, diving behind a nearby garbage bin. He rolled out of sight as bullets tore through the air.

The rest of the bandits weren't as lucky. Hesitating for a split second too long, they were gunned down in quick succession.

"Dammit!"

Watching his men drop one after another, Lu Gaofeng felt rage boil in his chest. These men were his lifeline in this post-apocalyptic world, and now they were gone.

Seizing an opportunity as the robot paused to reload, Lu Gaofeng grabbed his crude shotgun and fired several rounds at the machine.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The bullets struck the robot's steel frame, sparking on impact. One bullet, by sheer luck, hit the robot's hand, damaging both its finger and the rifle it was holding.

"Perfect!"

Overjoyed, Lu Gaofeng discarded his empty shotgun, snatched up a metal bat, and charged at the now-unarmed robot. With a powerful swing, he struck its knee joint, sending the robot crashing to the ground.

"You're finished!"

Pinning the fallen robot with his foot, Lu Gaofeng raised his bat for a finishing blow. But just as he swung down, a silent crossbow bolt pierced his arm.

He grunted in pain, only to feel a second bolt pierce his chest moments later.

Staggering, Lu Gaofeng collapsed beside the robot, lifeless.

---

Back in Su Wu's Bunker

Watching the scene unfold through his control center's monitors, Su Wu finally exhaled, letting go of the tension that had gripped him throughout the fight.

"That was too close for comfort," he muttered, shaking his head.

Despite the chaos, the upgraded armored truck had emerged largely unscathed. Its reinforced design had withstood multiple explosions and a crash with minimal damage.

After commanding the remaining construction robot to clean up the area and resume its journey, Su Wu turned his attention to reviewing the combat logs and footage.

The performance of his construction robots in battle had revealed glaring weaknesses.

These machines were designed for construction tasks, not combat. Their movements were slow and cumbersome, and their steel frames offered little protection against sustained attacks.

"Even when the AI detected the explosives being thrown into the cab, the robot's reaction speed wasn't fast enough to intercept it."

"The same goes for shooting. The AI calculated the optimal trajectory and timing within milliseconds, but the robot's slow movements turned it into a sitting duck."

Su Wu frowned, realizing how close he had come to losing everything.

The robots had been unable to capitalize on critical opportunities, allowing the bandit leader to almost turn the tide.

"If I'm going to rely on them for combat, I need to address these shortcomings," Su Wu decided.

It was clear: his robots needed upgrades—or he needed something better.