Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

Simply implementing Su Wu's proposed modifications required deploying two construction robots and partial use of the CNC machine's production capabilities, taking several hours to complete.

Adding more tasks would inevitably disrupt the sequence of critical plans already in place.

After a brief internal debate, Su Wu sighed silently, shelving his ideas for further fortifications.

With the internal affairs of the shelter settled, Su Wu turned his focus back to the seemingly endless series of trade negotiations.

At 8 PM, just an hour and fifteen minutes after the official video conference ended, a convoy of five small and medium-sized trucks arrived at the farmhouse ruins. Their high beams pierced the night, signaling their presence.

This convoy carried the first batch of goods—several dozen tons of scrap metal.

Accompanying the trucks were several technical staff members from a large shelter. These specialists were tasked with testing the performance of radiation detectors produced by Su Wu's shelter. Only after passing these evaluations would large-scale trade commence.

The testing, however, did not interfere with the unloading process or the continuous arrival of other transport convoys. Even though scrap metal made up a small fraction of the overall trade, its sheer volume was staggering, reaching tens of thousands of tons.

Without optimizing transportation schedules, completing these deliveries before the disaster struck seemed unlikely.

Two fully armed construction robots, controlled by the AI, approached to negotiate and deliver the first batch of 10 radiation detectors.

These detectors were the first products manufactured after the video conference ended, rolling off the production line in under three minutes from raw material to finished product. Despite their rapid production, each was priced at a hefty 25,000 contribution points, surpassing the total value of the scrap metal this convoy had brought.

Su Wu did not involve himself in the reception process.

Instead, he went down to the fifth underground level to reinforce the newly constructed warehouse there.

Currently, the fifth level had been excavated to a size of over 500 square meters. Excluding space occupied by construction activities, the remainder was sufficient for a mid-sized warehouse.

According to Su Wu's plans, this warehouse would be used to store the scrap metal traded from the large shelters.

"Three thousand cubic meters of space," Su Wu murmured, looking around the newly reinforced warehouse.

While 300 square meters of floor space and a 12-meter ceiling made the area appear spacious, it was insufficient for storing tens of thousands of tons of scrap metal. Unlike neatly stacked steel ingots, the irregular shapes of the scrap metal would require at least three to five times more space.

"Better build two compactors," Su Wu decided. "Compress the scrap metal before moving it into the warehouse."

The compactors he envisioned wouldn't be sophisticated. A few steel plates welded together with basic pulley systems would suffice for the task. Such rudimentary equipment could be quickly assembled by a single construction robot.

While adding a compression process would slow down unloading and storage, it was preferable to leaving valuable resources exposed to radiation on the surface.

"When the construction team stops work, three mini-excavators and two mini-transporters will be freed up," Su Wu continued planning.

"The excavator arms can be modified. Two units will handle metal compression, while the third and the transporters will move compressed scrap to the fifth-level warehouse."

By this point, Su Wu realized he had no spare labor to handle the unloading itself.

"Guess the two specialized transport trucks will have to pull double duty," he muttered.

Though temporarily reassigned, these vehicles would still be outfitted with the planned weapons. Their combat potential would remain intact, ready for deployment if needed.

"Even the rock crushers and cement mixers in the construction team could be repurposed for transport tasks," Su Wu noted.

With labor resources stretched thin, Su Wu contemplated repurposing specialized equipment. Even something as simple as a vehicle chassis with a makeshift trailer could serve as an improvised transporter.

After thoroughly scouring the shelter's potential, Su Wu finally established a system to receive, compress, and store incoming materials. The supply chain with the large shelter convoys could now proceed unhindered.

On the surface, technicians clad in heat-resistant suits spent over 30 minutes rigorously testing the radiation detectors. Ultimately, they deemed the devices up to standard.

As this conclusion was reached, a second, larger convoy arrived.

Comprising over a dozen medium and large trucks, this new wave of transporters brought life back to the barren wasteland of rubble and small bunkers surrounding the shelter.

Driving carefully at the tail end of the convoy was Pang Changbing, a large truck driver. This was his first time leaving the Jianghe City urban area since moving into the shelter.

The journey filled him with a mix of nervousness and excitement.

The convoy leader had emphasized repeatedly before departure the dangers of operating in the wild. Far from the shelter and its rescue infrastructure, even minor accidents could become life-threatening.

This caution weighed heavily on Pang Changbing as he followed the convoy deeper into the desolate outskirts.

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