Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

As the robots ventured further, the increasing distance inevitably brought risks.

One robot dog, attempting to retrieve a fragment in an acidic depression, was suddenly engulfed by an eruption of magma and consumed.

Another, on its way back, was enveloped by a burst of acidic gas. It immediately shut down and tumbled silently into a narrow crevice.

"The geological activity here is becoming more intense," Su Wu muttered, his gaze fixed on the loss reports, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.

In just a few hours, the once relatively stable magma beneath the salt flats had begun churning violently, forming visible magma bubbles several meters high.

This rapid escalation was anything but a good sign. It suggested the area was on the verge of a catastrophic event.

The system's disaster index, which had risen to 5.0, further corroborated Su Wu's fears.

Staying here for an hour now granted 20 survival points. While the reward sounded appealing, the sheer danger underlying it was enough to make anyone's scalp tingle.

There was no sitting idle now.

Despite the escalating risk, Su Wu knew he couldn't abandon the mission. He steeled himself to push forward and test his luck.

Amidst his focus, a communication signal suddenly came through. It originated from the white exploration vehicle at the meteorite crater.

"We are the Federation Academy of Sciences Geological Exploration Team.

"May I ask what purpose you have for collecting those meteorite fragments? Based on our research, they appear to be ordinary rocks containing trace amounts of heavy metals."

On the screen, an elderly white man appeared.

"We don't know either. It's probably some upper-level official's eccentric interest," Su Wu replied after a brief pause, feigning ignorance and deflecting the question to an imagined superior.

The Federation Academy of Sciences wasn't just a prestigious name—it was backed by the full weight of the Federation government, an entity far beyond Su Wu's capacity to contend with.

The safest approach was to distance himself from anything that might pique their interest.

"Figures. Some of those higher-ups can be quite whimsical," the elderly man said, nodding in understanding. He seemed to have encountered similar situations before and didn't press further.

"I'm John Mayer, a second-level researcher with the Federation Academy of Sciences Geological Exploration Division.

"I also dabble in mechanics. Your robot dogs are impressive—agile even in such extreme heat. Far superior to the military's standard models.

"Would you consider selling one or two? I can offer a good price."

John introduced himself and made his intentions clear.

"These belong to the shelter. I don't have the authority to sell them," Su Wu replied without hesitation, firmly rejecting the offer.

No matter how tempting the price, Su Wu couldn't afford to attract attention from the Federation at this stage. He needed time to quietly grow stronger.

"That's a pity. Here's my satellite network ID. If you change your mind, you can contact me through it," John said, his tone regretful but without insistence.

Though impressed by the robot dogs' heat resistance, they weren't valuable enough for him to escalate matters or involve his superiors.

After the call ended, Su Wu considered the situation and decided to add John's ID as a contact.

Remaining low-profile was important, but establishing a line of communication to gather intelligence on the outside world wouldn't hurt.

His request was swiftly accepted, granting Su Wu access to a special forum on the satellite network. The forum offered resources, blueprints, and intelligence trades in exchange for contributions or materials—though Su Wu lacked the means to participate for now and could only browse free information.

By the 17th hour of his mission, a large helicopter delivered a sealed, dome-shaped vehicle to the crater.

This new arrival represented a third-party faction that refused all attempts at communication. It focused solely on collecting fragments from the crater before departing on the helicopter after an hour.

By the 22nd hour, John's exploration team had completed their work.

"We're heading out. The tremors here are getting stronger. This area could become a new volcanic zone within hours. I suggest you leave soon as well."

After bidding farewell, John's vehicle retracted its stabilizing supports and began hovering 1.5 meters above the ground, speeding away from the salt flats. Clearly, the vehicle wasn't a simple modification but capable of near-ground flight.

By the 24th hour, with John's team gone, the ground tremors grew more frequent and severe.

Standing at the observation window of the first compartment, Su Wu watched as nearby rocks began to bounce slightly with each quake.

The once pool-sized lava lake in the meteorite crater was now expanding rapidly, its glowing red surface beginning to reflect ominously on the base vehicle's outer walls.

As John had warned, Su Wu was in the midst of a soon-to-erupt volcano—or perhaps already standing within its crater.

By the 25th hour, the worsening conditions had left Su Wu with only three functional robot dogs. Finally, they returned with the last piece of meteorite, completing half of the border exploration mission.

All that remained was the data collection, which was progressing steadily.

By the 26th hour, the lava in the crater had risen to fill half its depth, continuing to surge upward visibly.

The intense heat from the magma now caused the base vehicle's exterior to faintly glow red.

With the situation growing critical, Su Wu decided to use 20 survival points to perform a second upgrade to the base vehicle's defenses, preparing for the worst.

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