Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

In a vast underground kingdom like this, it's no wonder Yang Chaopeng, the traitorous figure, became overconfident after rising to power and dared to turn against Su Wu.

Unfortunately for him, he failed to foresee how rapidly Su Wu's forces would grow. Before Yang could react, Su Wu had assembled a massive mechanical army and had the audacity to strike directly under the pressure of the official authorities.

Against such overwhelming firepower, all the territory and resources in the world meant nothing.

In the first hour of battle, Su Wu seized control of key facilities, including three upper-level power stations, two armories, and a total of 22 medium and large warehouses.

He effectively dominated all areas of the first three underground levels of Jingyuan Refuge.

These levels were primarily residential zones, meaning that while Su Wu controlled less than a quarter of the refuge's total territory, he held sway over two-thirds of its population—more than 200,000 people.

Managing such a large number of people created a sudden and immense governance challenge.

To maintain control, Su Wu had to implement wartime measures, violently driving civilians off the streets and eliminating anyone who resisted.

Even so, it remained difficult to enforce order.

The machine dogs and drones under Su Wu's command were spread thin. Most were committed to frontline battles or guarding critical facilities and supplies, leaving very few to maintain order in occupied areas.

Despite their efficiency, these forces struggled to cover everything, leading to lapses and chaos.

Under these conditions, the previously established branch office in Jingyuan Refuge proved valuable.

Using the branch office as the central hub, Su Wu established a temporary Public Security Bureau.

He recruited trustworthy locals—those with prior vetting or who had worked with him before—and armed them with confiscated light weapons and wireless earpieces.

These recruits formed patrol units directed remotely by the AI, tasked with restoring order.

This approach mitigated the chaos within 30 minutes, preventing any major outbreaks of unrest.

However, temporary recruits and an inflexible AI were far from reliable.

Some recruits fled with their weapons, while others, emboldened by newfound power, ignored AI commands and behaved recklessly.

Su Wu had to dedicate significant time and effort to address these issues.

Only after enlisting Chen Xin and even Chen Yue to help did he manage to extricate himself from these administrative headaches and refocus on the frontline battle.

From the fourth underground level onward, Jingyuan's defenses became more robust, featuring automatic weapons and fortified military bunkers.

This significantly slowed Su Wu's advance.

A single machine dog unit often expended all its ammunition without fully neutralizing enemies entrenched behind thick concrete and metal walls.

The confined terrain also reduced the effectiveness of flamethrowers, which had previously been so dominant.

Despite these obstacles, Jingyuan's security forces struggled to mount a meaningful counteroffensive.

Against AI-controlled machine dogs and drones capable of millisecond reaction times, their best efforts merely forced Su Wu to consume more ammunition.

"This won't do. It's too slow," Su Wu muttered, frowning.

With his refuge's size and resource reserves, sustaining such large-scale battles was already taxing. A swift resolution was essential.

Prolonged combat would only intensify logistical pressures.

In fact, without the additional ammunition obtained from captured Jingyuan armories, Su Wu might have already been forced to scale back the operation.

Studying Jingyuan Refuge's 3D map, Su Wu noted the relatively thin spacing between each level—only five to seven meters.

This thickness, while sufficient in peacetime, was far less resilient than the concrete bunkers guarding the corridors and choke points.

"Power stations, HVAC hubs, ventilation ducts, armories, command centers," Su Wu murmured, comparing the locations of Jingyuan's key facilities on the map.

As a civilian mega-refuge, Jingyuan relied on strict management and concrete barriers to deter intrusions.

But against Su Wu's advanced reconnaissance drones, these defenses were futile.

Now, Su Wu could pinpoint the exact coordinates of Jingyuan's critical infrastructure.

His gaze finally settled on the ninth underground level, where a heavily fortified room—akin to a bank vault—served as Jingyuan's command center.

"Cease the main assault. Initiate decapitation tactics."

On the fourth underground level of Jingyuan Refuge, inside a rest lounge, a group of security personnel was taking a break.

Suddenly, strange noises came from the ceiling. Moments later, a massive concrete slab crashed down, crushing a sleeping guard.

Before anyone could react, a volley of rockets followed through the breached ceiling, transforming the room into a hellscape of fire and carnage.

"Confirmed: all targets eliminated."

"Third and fourth machine dog units, establish a defensive perimeter."

"Engineering team, prepare for the next demolition."

Through the breach, machine dogs descended one by one using ropes, entering the now-devastated lounge.

The dogs quickly spread out, engaging nearby security forces in intense close-quarters combat.

Without adequate cover, the defenders stood no chance.

Within minutes, dozens of machine dogs had secured

the area, clearing all resistance and establishing a solid defensive line.

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