Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

The moment the robots entered the shelter, the environmental detection modules mounted on their bodies began relaying real-time data.

"Interior temperature: 65°C.

Radiation multiplier: 125.7."

It seemed the massive earthquake had caused some unknown environmental shifts. The surface air temperature, unusually for daytime, had dropped below the average threshold of 70°C, offering a faint glimmer of hope for the survivors.

In shelters with severe structural damage, where cooling systems had failed or lost power, the internal temperature had risen close to surface levels. Breathing might still feel like inhaling fire, but it was at least possible to survive for short periods.

Radiation levels, measured as multipliers, provided a clear sense of danger. A multiplier of 1 meant humans could remain in the environment for an hour without significant harm. However, a multiplier of 125.7 reduced this safe duration to less than 30 seconds.

Yet, compared to the 1,000–2,000 multipliers typically found on the exposed surface, these levels were still relatively low, thanks to the shelter's residual shielding.

As Su Wu operated the cameras on the construction robots, he observed the interior of the shelter.

Electricity had been entirely cut off, leaving the shelter in pitch darkness. Without the robots' night vision modules, visibility would have been less than half a meter, as oppressive as a tomb.

The layout was cramped. Even near the main entrance, there was only a small hall of about 50 square meters. Most of the space consisted of narrow corridors and rooms with tightly sealed doors, many of which had collapsed.

Outside rubble had breached the doors in several places, spilling into the hallways.

The robots advanced cautiously, their sensors picking up numerous bodies buried under debris or crushed by collapsed structures. Tragically, none showed any signs of life.

After several minutes of searching, the robots detected faint, irregular sounds.

Following the noise, they discovered a group of two to three hundred survivors in what appeared to be a communal dining hall deep within the shelter.

"Who is in charge here?"

Su Wu, speaking through the robot, had it seal the violently breached door behind it.

The dining hall still had emergency power. Dim ceiling lights flickered overhead, and a heavily modified air conditioning unit struggled to maintain a livable temperature of 48°C.

Though still uncomfortably high, it was tolerable for humans.

The survivors, wary and tense, stared at the intruding robots.

Their reactions were mixed. Some were visibly fearful of the steel giants, armed with automatic rifles. Others showed glimmers of hope, seeing the robots as potential saviors.

After a moment of silence, someone hesitantly stepped forward.

"There's no one in charge anymore. I saw our director crushed by falling debris during the earthquake."

This news was both good and bad.

According to Su Wu's information, this shelter, called "Green Lemon," was privately owned by a former business magnate of Jianghe City. With the director gone, the shelter was effectively leaderless, leaving the survivors uncoordinated and with limited knowledge of their situation.

"In that case," Su Wu declared decisively, "I'll be taking over temporarily."

With a few commands to the AI, a notification pinged on the smartphones of many survivors in the room.

This was the AI identifying active accounts within Su Wu's local internet network. After cross-referencing their history, it quickly selected a few candidates to assist as intermediaries.

"Chen Yan, Ning Junchuan, and Xu Shaoling, step forward."

Su Wu directed the robots to retrieve the named individuals from the crowd. Their nervous expressions betrayed a mix of apprehension and curiosity.

The robots handed each of them a set of wireless communication devices, including Bluetooth earpieces and portable microphones.

"You'll serve as temporary managers, following my instructions to organize the rest."

"Us? Managers?"

The three individuals' unease turned into cautious excitement.

If someone was assigning management roles, that implied a rescue was underway, significantly raising their chances of survival. Additionally, being in charge might offer certain privileges, perhaps even better access to resources.

However, their enthusiasm quickly dimmed as they activated the devices and heard a calm, authoritative female voice in their earpieces.

Their initial excitement evaporated like cold water dousing a fire. They realized they were not actual decision-makers but merely tools to relay commands from the AI.

Every task—down to who in the crowd should do what—had been pre-planned and dictated through the earpieces.

Though their dreams of wielding power were crushed, none dared to complain. They diligently began carrying out the AI's instructions.

The tasks ranged from simple to critical: recording names and identities, distributing supplies brought by additional construction robots, and issuing items like tracking wristbands for survivors without phones.

For those whose phones were dead, the robots provided portable power banks for recharging. Survivors showing signs of heatstroke received small doses of medicine.

In this moment of crisis, the AI's precision and efficiency brought a semblance of order to the chaos. Under its guidance, the

shelter's survivors began to see a faint glimmer of hope amidst the devastation.

--Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there 

patreon.com/LegendaryTL

Thanks!