Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

"You all have too much free time," commented Wang Jianguo, joining the conversation.

As the former director of a steel plant and now the manager of a shelter housing over 2,000 people, Wang had an endless list of responsibilities. Watching his warehouse supplies dwindle daily had left him mentally and physically drained. Unlike others, he wasn't there to chat idly.

"Does anyone have fresh vegetables to sell? I'd like to use them to boost morale in the shelter."

Not every shelter had the capacity to grow vegetables.

Maintaining the grow lights needed for plants in underground shelters consumed significant electricity, which was a heavy burden for most. Even basic planting space was a luxury that many shelters couldn't afford.

For underground shelters, where every square meter of space was precious, it was often more efficient to use resources for cultivating high-yield food sources like rats, earthworms, or mushrooms rather than vegetables. Some shelters couldn't even manage that and relied entirely on pre-apocalypse stockpiles of grains and canned food, hoping for surface conditions to improve soon.

"Vegetables are hard to come by," someone replied.

"I've got a few kilograms of fresh cabbage, Old Wang. Want them? One 50-amp battery per kilogram," a shelter owner, somewhat familiar with Wang Jianguo, joked.

"Fifty-amp battery? Why don't you just rob me?" Wang fumed. Even in these times, fresh vegetables couldn't possibly warrant such a price. Batteries were lifesaving tools in emergencies—no one would trade one for a few bites of food.

"I've got some lettuce for sale too," Su Wu interjected at the right moment. "Ten kilograms of cement per kilogram of lettuce, or we can discuss other trades."

"Really?" Wang Jianguo's eyes lit up. "How much do you have? I've got plenty of leftover cement from when we built the shelter."

Any shelter capable of being established had likely stocked up on cement. Unlike official shelters, private shelters lacked the resources for large-scale construction post-apocalypse, making surplus cement a common barter item.

"I've got about five to six hundred kilograms of lettuce, and I can produce seventy kilograms daily," Su Wu estimated.

His hydroponic farm had a significant yield of lettuce, with the outer leaves of many plants ready for harvest. By selectively harvesting the outer leaves while preserving the plant cores, he could maintain a steady output.

"That much?" Wang Jianguo was intrigued but refrained from going overboard. In this post-apocalyptic world, vegetables were a luxury. Having them occasionally for morale was one thing, but relying on them as a staple was excessive.

After some calculation, Wang Jianguo decided to start with a modest order.

"I'll take 100 kilograms for now. By the way, do you still need steel?"

"I'll take steel too, but the rate is lower—ten kilograms of steel for one kilogram of lettuce," Su Wu replied.

Steel wasn't as urgent a need for Su Wu as cement. The post-storm ruins in Jianghe City provided an abundance of scrap metal, from crushed vehicles to collapsed buildings. With no clear ownership of these resources, they were essentially free for the taking.

"In that case, I'll stick to trading cement," Wang Jianguo said. "I remember you've got an automated truck. Can you deliver it to me? I'll cover the shipping costs."

Without modified vehicles, sending people out in the 70°C surface heat was too dangerous for Wang Jianguo's shelter. He preferred to pay a delivery fee rather than risk his people.

"Sure. Delivery will cost ten kilograms of lettuce," Su Wu agreed. Taking on delivery himself meant an extra profit.

While Su Wu and Wang Jianguo finalized their trade, their conversation attracted attention from others in the chat channel.

Young Master Zhuang, the wealthy heir, was the first to jump in.

"I want 50 kilograms of lettuce. Payment in cement. Let's make it a regular trade—every two weeks."

Having lost access to fresh produce, Zhuang's craving for lettuce now rivaled his former indulgence in gourmet delicacies.

"I'll take 20 kilograms. Can I pay in liquor?" another shelter owner chimed in.

This owner preferred to trade liquor, a near-universal currency in the post-apocalyptic world, over his limited cement reserves.

"That works too. Anyone interested, DM me with your address and order details," Su Wu replied. "Once the city roads are fully cleared in a couple of days, I'll start deliveries."

In less than half an hour, Su Wu received inquiries and orders from seven or eight shelters.

He managed to sell out his entire stockpile of five to six hundred kilograms of lettuce and even pre-sold the next week's output.

Through casual conversation during the transactions, Su Wu also gained insights into the current state of private shelters, giving him a clearer understanding of the world in its early post-apocalyptic phase.

While surface conditions were undeniably harsh and life in underground shelters far from comfortable, most people weren't facing immediate survival crises. The industrial-era legacy of abundant resources and production technology ensured that food shortages were unlikely for at least another year or two.

People might struggle to eat well, but as long as they had some vitamin supplements and vacuum-sealed rice, they could survive.

However, resource abundance didn't equate to fair distribution.

In shelters where greedy or miserly leaders hoarded resources, starvation and deprivation were still possible, highlighting the stark inequalities of survival.

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