Chapter 197: Tumult and Purification

September 16.

Just two days after the discovery of the Rola Virus, the entire underground shelter system in Jianghe City seemed to come to a standstill.

All production activities were nearly paused.

At the same time, panic and rumors swept through every corner where people resided, like a hurricane.

Many people began to realize that no matter if the symptoms were mild or severe, even those who appeared completely normal at first were being sent to isolation, never to return with news.

The fear intensified when some workers, who had been tasked with incinerating the infected, anonymously exposed the fate of those infected online. The unsettling image of someone living their normal life one moment, only to be pushed into a furnace the next, sent shivers down everyone's spine.

In the face of such unspeakable horror and despair, some infected individuals, knowing they would die, started to violently resist, trying to escape the shelters.

Soon, unrest spread across both official and large-scale civilian shelters.

However, compared to the chaos in other shelters, the atmosphere in Su Wu's affiliated shelters was relatively peaceful during this period.

This was primarily because Su Wu did not keep the isolation zones secret, nor did he take violent measures against the infected. All those placed in isolation were allowed to communicate freely with the outside world. Additionally, drones equipped with electromagnetic weapons hovered over the shelter streets, playing a crucial role. The moment any signs of unrest appeared, they were swiftly suppressed.

At 2 PM.

Farmhouse Shelter, Control Center.

Unlike the turmoil outside, peace and calm prevailed here as usual. There were no concerns about virus invasion or infection, and no anxiety about survival or resources. It was almost like the legendary Eden.

But its master, at this moment, wasn't in the mood to enjoy the tranquility.

"Another shelter has fallen."

Su Wu silently watched as an area on the Jianghe City map turned from deep red to gray.

This indicated that a medium-sized shelter in that area had no survivors left. Over 3,000 people had all perished at the hands of the Rola Virus.

In comparison to large shelters capable of producing disinfecting equipment, small and medium shelters lacked such production capabilities. Combined with their far smaller spaces, they were much more vulnerable when the virus attacked.

"We need to find a way to send them disinfecting equipment."

"Can't let them die like this."

Those people would eventually become Su Wu's subjects. It would be too unfortunate to let them die in large numbers due to the virus without any meaning.

As for the disinfecting equipment, after two days of continuous research, the cost and size had been significantly reduced. They could even be loaded onto drones to fly through shelters for disinfection and irradiation.

Sending a batch wouldn't be difficult. Moreover, this wasn't charity. At the very least, it would exchange several times the cost in resources.

Looking back at the Jianghe City map, Su Wu shifted his focus to the shelters under his control.

After the initial panic, the shelters under his rule had mostly resumed some level of production and construction activities.

First, at the Farmhouse Shelter, the engineering teams continued their original work, expanding the external space of the shelter. These new zones didn't have direct contact with the internal spaces of the shelter. Furthermore, each time transport vehicles passed through the isolated lift platforms to the surface, they underwent extended exposure to disinfectant lights.

With double protection, there was little risk.

Next, the iron and limestone mines had resumed normal operations, with mechanical work proceeding as usual. There were no virus threats here since everything was mechanized.

Every day, the robots and equipment there could clear nearly 10 kilometers of road and extract hundreds of tons of iron ore. They also produced about 60 tons of finished cement. In a few days, once the mountain passage was fully opened, the resources from the mines would flow continuously into Su Wu's shelter.

Finally, the underwater shelter material retrieval work had also resumed.

However, unlike before, the medium-sized hovercraft were now being piloted by robots rather than workers. The retrieved materials were no longer sent to the affiliated shelters or the Farmhouse Shelter but were instead directed to a deserted small shelter.

"Next, we need to ensure the safety of the Remote Control Center."

"Then, use it as the center."

"Gradually expand the security zones step by step."

The Remote Control Center at Jingyuan Shelter was the most critical building among all of Su Wu's affiliated shelters. If it were incapacitated, at the very least, operations at the two mountain mines and the material transfer from the underwater shelters would come to a halt.

Fortunately, Su Wu had already taken steps to secure the Remote Control Center.

In the past two days, he had completed the testing of nearly 5,000 workers at the center, confirming that none were infected. Then, he set up an isolation zone around the center to prevent anyone from entering or leaving. He also installed 24-hour disinfectant lights and air blowers to ensure that no virus or moisture could enter the center.

In addition, Su Wu established a central kitchen and stocked food and fresh water to ensure the center could operate independently without needing supplies from other shelters for a long time.

With this strict isolation, the Remote Control Center was now the safest place among all the affiliated shelters. 

As for what came next, Su Wu planned to use the isolation model from the Remote Control Center as a template and expand it step by step.

The advantage of this approach was that they could proceed cautiously, gradually eliminating hidden infected individuals in the population and preventing outbreaks from recurring. Each new security zone, from the moment it was established, would ensure that it remained entirely safe.

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