Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

By this time, nothing remained on the battlefield but the burning wreckage of tanks and armored vehicles. Almost all life had been extinguished.

Yet the bombardment from afar continued.

Round after round of supersonic shells rained down, pulverizing the remnants of the tanks into fragments, and evaporating the blood-soaked earth until not even ashes were left.

The relentless onslaught only ceased when the artillery's hunger was finally sated.

Even then, the deafening roar of the shells streaking through the air lingered in the sky, echoing across the battlefield and beyond, spreading toward other parts of Jianghe City.

That day, the vibrations caused by the battle were felt in almost every underground refuge around the city.

And in places unknown to the wider public, the aftermath of the conflict continued to reverberate.

---

In a desolate expanse of wasteland outside Jianghe City, the artillery battery had relocated to a random location, hoping to evade pursuit.

However, an official refuge reconnaissance drone soon spotted them.

Before it could transmit its findings, a high-intensity electromagnetic pulse struck it with precision, frying its internal circuitry. The drone wobbled midair before crashing to the ground.

"We've been discovered," Su Wu remarked upon receiving the report.

A moment of thought was all it took to understand the intentions behind the drone.

Some factions were unwilling to let the artillery battery slip away and sought to destroy it entirely.

"Relocation is no longer an option," Su Wu mused. "And there aren't enough places to hide."

The usable area within Jianghe City was limited, and there weren't many suitable spots to park an entire convoy.

Bringing the battery back to the refuge was also out of the question.

The artillery's presence outside the Farmhouse Shelter granted Su Wu a critical strategic advantage, deterring further pressure from other factions.

If he withdrew them into the refuge, it would invite a barrage of bunker-busting missiles aimed directly at the shelter.

Previously, Su Wu had not warranted such extreme measures from the official refuge.

But now, after showcasing the artillery's devastating power, the stakes had changed entirely.

"It seems I haven't demonstrated enough value yet," Su Wu murmured. "In that case, let's give them another fight."

On the desolate wasteland, the silver command vehicle of the artillery battery issued orders.

Three dedicated transport trucks deployed portable platforms, releasing palm-sized drones into the air.

Moments later, the command vehicle activated its optical camouflage, blending seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.

The entire artillery convoy disappeared from view, concealed as though swallowed by the terrain.

As part of a heavy artillery battery, firepower alone was not enough; robust anti-air and stealth capabilities were equally critical.

This was the moment to test the latter.

Ninety defensive drones equipped with micro-EMP projectors and miniature rockets spread out like a net, silently advancing toward Jianghe City.

It wasn't long before they encountered an unmarked reconnaissance drone between two crumbling skyscrapers.

The nearest defensive drones swarmed the target, bombarding it with electromagnetic pulses and rockets, swiftly disabling it.

Though the micro-EMP projectors lacked the power of the command vehicle's larger EMP emitters, they were more than capable of disrupting the drone's communication systems at close range, rendering it vulnerable to the rockets.

The reconnaissance drone stood no chance.

Encouraged by this initial success, the defensive drone fleet systematically hunted down six or seven more enemy drones, leaving the skies over Jianghe City eerily quiet and devoid of hostile activity.

Half an hour later, a convoy of armored vehicles departed from the official refuge's security zone.

Equipped with onboard radar, the vehicles methodically scanned the roads, attempting to locate the hidden artillery battery.

Their efforts were doomed to fail.

Though Jianghe City wasn't vast, its size made it impossible to locate a camouflaged and mobile convoy in a short time using only a handful of armored vehicles.

By 8 p.m., the final traces of daylight had faded into darkness.

The official refuge's reconnaissance vehicles, having spent hours searching fruitlessly, began to return to base.

At that moment, Su Wu received a phone call.

"This is Bai Ruian."

"Stand down."

"Fine," Su Wu replied, "but Zhou Xiwu's refuge must pay for their betrayal."

"That's your internal matter. It has nothing to do with us."

"Understood."

The conversation was brief, devoid of intense negotiation or bartering.

In just a few sentences, Su Wu and Bai Ruian, the head of the official refuge, reached an unspoken agreement.

Both sides conceded a little.

Su Wu would refrain from targeting the other refuges that had joined the coalition against him. In return, the official refuge acknowledged his control over the communication towers and the internet, tacitly recognizing both Jingyuan Refuge and Zhou Xiwu's refuge as part of Su Wu's domain.

The next day, the smoke of war dissipated entirely.

Contrary to many fears and expectations, the conflict did not escalate.

Life in Jianghe City resumed its rhythm as though nothing had happened.

It was only when a joint announcement was issued by the official refuge and the Farmhouse Shelter—pledging to maintain safety and order on the surface—that many refuge leaders finally realized the truth.

The Jingyuan Refuge's condemnation of Su Wu and its hastily formed armed coalition had been little more than a farcical performance.

Those actions were merely moves on the chessboard, and Jingyuan Refuge itself was nothing but a sacrificial pawn in a larger game.

Now the pawn was gone, and the two giants behind

the scenes had gauged each other's strength and reached an accord.

A grim joke of the highest order.

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