Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

The three upgrade options for the excavator made Su Wu's eyes light up.

The diesel version was straightforward—essentially the same as the standard mini excavators sold on the market but incredibly cost-effective. For just 2 survival points and a few thousand yuan worth of scrap materials, he could create a brand-new mini excavator that would currently sell for over a million yuan. If handled well, this could be his stepping stone to unimaginable wealth.

Unfortunately, in the context of the approaching apocalypse, wealth wasn't as attractive as it used to be.

"No need to rush. With currency turning into glorified coupons, hoarding too much doesn't make sense. In a barter economy, the value will stay consistent no matter when I trade it."

Suppressing his excitement, Su Wu turned his attention to the other two options. Compared to the diesel version, the battery-powered and autonomous versions were better suited to his current needs.

Diesel was hard to come by, but electricity was now plentiful, thanks to his geothermal generator. As for the autonomous version, it offered a comprehensive feature package: battery power, autonomous driving, and automated construction. The latter two were especially critical for Su Wu, who was working alone and couldn't afford to hire workers for secrecy and cost reasons. The autonomous version would solve these immediate challenges.

"Upgrade to the autonomous version."

Without much hesitation, Su Wu made his choice. With the 29 survival points he had earned yesterday, he felt confident enough to indulge in this slightly luxurious option.

In an instant, the mini excavator transformed. The new machine, less than 1.5 meters in track and chassis length, had a sleek, futuristic design and lacked a driver's cabin.

Su Wu inspected it up close and discovered that his laptop could wirelessly connect to the excavator's onboard computer. Through this interface, he could remotely issue commands and assign tasks to the excavator.

"Total weight: 1.5 tons. Full-power operation consumes 2 kWh per hour. Onboard battery capacity: 40 kWh, with a maximum charge time of 2 hours."

The specs were impressive. Compared to standard market models, the excavator had at least half a generation's worth of improvements.

Checking the detailed stats through the Apocalypse Survival System, Su Wu confirmed that both the battery capacity and charging speed were double those of similar products on the market. While it wasn't groundbreaking, the advanced tech level justified its higher upgrade cost, three times that of the diesel version.

"If society were stable, reverse-engineering just the battery could make someone a regional tycoon."

Satisfied, Su Wu connected his laptop to the excavator and uploaded the shelter's design schematics, which he had acquired from a secondhand market. After a brief data synchronization, the excavator's onboard computer confirmed a successful match.

The machine roared to life, its engine starting as it began digging into the ground according to the plans.

Meanwhile, Su Wu's laptop displayed a virtual 3D map of the shelter's underground structure. The interface included the outlines of the farmhouse above, geological details of the ground below, the excavator's current position, the construction progress, and the estimated time remaining. The level of automation was both detailed and intuitive.

"This level of automation is insane."

For a moment, Su Wu felt like he was playing a video game. Glancing out the window, he watched the mini excavator methodically carve a downward slope into the yard's soil. Snapping out of his reverie, he reminded himself there was no time to waste.

Heading downstairs, Su Wu grabbed an electric hammer and began breaking down a section of the courtyard wall. The farmhouse sat on the outskirts, with its front gate near a road and its rear bordering a desolate rocky field. The courtyard wasn't particularly large, but creating a shortcut to the rocky field would save time for transporting excavated soil and debris.

Despite the plan, execution proved more challenging than anticipated. The task, which seemed simple on paper, turned out to be a test of stamina. By the time Su Wu had managed to break a 2-3 meter gap in the wall, three exhausting hours had passed. He was so drained that he could barely lift the electric hammer.

"I'm never doing this again," Su Wu muttered, regretting underestimating the physical toll. After catching his breath, wiping off his sweat, and downing a can of soda, he tidied up the area and returned to the yard.

By then, the engineering robot had nearly completed the mini transport vehicle. Once it was done, Su Wu immediately spent 5 survival points to upgrade it.

The upgraded mini transport vehicle resembled an oversized toy. Less than two meters long, it had no driver's cabin and consisted of a tracked chassis and a small dump bed capable of carrying two to three cubic meters of soil and debris.

[Max Speed: 20 km/h]

[Load Capacity: 5 tons]

[Battery Capacity: 40 kWh]

[Max Operating Time: 40 hours]

The transport vehicle's speed was unimpressive, hovering between that of a utility tool and a large toy. However, Su Wu was more than satisfied. The tracked chassis was specifically designed for rough terrain, prioritizing stability over speed. As long as it could navigate muddy and rocky ground and handle short-distance transport, it was sufficient.

The 5-ton load capacity, likely due to the sturdy tracks and powerful engine, allowed the vehicle to carry even a full load of rocks without issue. For shelter construction, this vehicle was nearly flawless.

Without delay, Su Wu integrated the transport vehicle into the construction team.

The sound of metal bearings turning filled the yard as the transport vehicle slowly made its way to the excavation site. Working in tandem with the mini excavator, it transported the growing piles

of soil and debris to the rocky field beyond the courtyard.