Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

Every decision rested solely on Su Wu's judgment.

At the same time, the tens of thousands of residents in the Jingyuan Shelter had no idea they were living through perhaps the most critical and dangerous moment of their lives. They were being scrutinized by their highest ruler, who would ultimately decide their fate.

"In terms of construction quality, Jingyuan Shelter is impressive. Not a single leak has occurred so far."

For a massive underground city the size of 200 aircraft carriers combined, achieving this was remarkable. It showed the care and precision involved in its design and construction. This gave Su Wu confidence in the shelter's ability to withstand the flood. After all, repairing a steel ship and patching up a sandcastle are worlds apart—the latter would crumble with the first strong wave.

"Let's assemble a 20,000-strong emergency response team and a 40,000-person reserve force to rotate shifts and guard key areas. They will be responsible for immediate repairs if an emergency occurs."

"Install sealed isolation doors on every passage inside the shelter. These will serve as the first line of defense against potential flooding."

"Additionally, create several small independent isolation zones on each level. These will function as the final safe houses, providing residents with a fallback option."

Su Wu manipulated the 3D map of the Jingyuan Shelter, carving out defensive zones and safety areas. He simulated scenarios using artificial intelligence to identify and correct potential weaknesses, eventually drafting a complete construction plan.

Under this plan, even if a section of the shelter's outer walls was breached, the damage would be limited to a small area. Internal walls and sealed doors connecting to other zones would halt further flooding.

In the worst-case scenario, if all internal walls and sealed doors were compromised, survivors would be relocated to the designated safe houses on each level. They would remain there until the flood receded or external rescue arrived.

Su Wu ensured the safe houses had enough food supplies to sustain 300,000 people on minimum rations for 20 days. Any longer without external aid would lead to starvation.

This wasn't out of stinginess—providing oxygen, ensuring structural integrity, and allocating space for 300,000 people left little room for more food.

For oxygen, Su Wu opted for oxygen candles, a chemical solution commonly used in submarines. Compact yet efficient, they could produce large amounts of oxygen, alleviating concerns about air supply in a sealed environment.

"That said, not all food supplies in flooded areas would be destroyed. Survivors could use diving equipment to salvage intact food stores, extending their survival time further."

He included diving suits and oxygen tanks in the safety zones as part of the emergency supplies. This small measure could potentially extend survival by several weeks.

But if no rescue arrived within that extended timeframe, Su Wu would be powerless.

The looming possibility of a "Rain Century" lasting millions of years was enough to crush any hope. If Jingyuan Shelter fell, there was no guarantee Su Wu could find another refuge for the survivors hiding in the safe houses.

Perhaps, those safe houses would become their final resting place.

Having completed Jingyuan's flood prevention measures, Su Wu applied the same framework to the Zhou Xiwu Shelter and two other medium-sized shelters. The only difference was the scale—smaller shelters required fewer resources and smaller safety zones.

For the Qingning Shelter, with only 3,000 residents, Su Wu designated a single safe zone and stocked it minimally.

This wasn't a disregard for their lives. Quite the opposite. With fewer people, Su Wu could easily mobilize rescue forces to evacuate them in an emergency. There was no need to waste additional resources on their safety zone—it only needed to last a few days.

With his shelters secured, Su Wu turned his attention to the satellite network and his own internet platform, gathering external news.

At this point, about one-third of Jianghe City's shelters were submerged.

Many shelters, regardless of size, had been forced to seal their entrances entirely, leaving only elevated ventilation shafts exposed to prevent oxygen deprivation.

This situation was precarious. Beyond the risk of structural failure, those makeshift ventilation shafts were unlikely to withstand the constant pressure of rushing water.

If they collapsed, cutting off airflow, most shelters lacked the resources to deploy oxygen candles at scale. Residents would face two options: abandon their shelters or suffocate.

And abandoning a shelter during a flood was easier said than done. For most, the odds of survival were slim.

Some shelters, foreseeing these risks, had begun desperate self-rescue efforts.

Large groups worked to reinforce ventilation shafts against the flood. Others coordinated with neighboring shelters to establish potential rescue routes in case of disaster.

A few shelters, unable to hold out, chose dissolution. Their residents were left to fend for themselves, either seeking refuge in private shelters or heading for the official shelters.

Even the worst options wer

e better than waiting for inevitable death.

(End of Chapter)