Chapter 12: Entering the Scarlet Heat

For instance, at this very moment, the first wave of residents in major intercontinental cities had begun moving into official shelters. Naturally, politicians and scientists were given priority, while the number of wealthy individuals was relatively small. This wasn't because they lacked the qualifications to enter but rather because most preferred to build their own private shelters. As a result, abandoned air raid shelters in remote mountainous areas had become hot commodities on the market.

Compared to these wealthy individuals, Su Wu felt no resentment about having to settle for a more modest location in the mountains. He knew his shelter, though not as luxurious, was well-prepared and functional.

"Several official shelters in Jianghe City are nearly complete," shared Wang Jianguo, the steel factory director who had invited Su Wu into the Jianghe City Doomsday Survival Preparation Group. "They've repurposed underground parking lots, shopping malls, and subway tunnels, creating a sprawling underground network. It's almost like a small city beneath the surface. But… well, let's just say it's not ideal."

The official shelters, while vast, had to accommodate three to four million people while maintaining some level of productivity. This meant living spaces were cramped, with six or even ten people sharing a single room. Compared to this, even the most basic private shelter seemed like a paradise.

"They're cutting it close," commented a group member named Heavy Knight. "It's already the 9th. If they delay any longer, something big could happen."

Relocating millions of people from their homes to underground shelters was no small feat. The logistics alone were a nightmare, and any delay could mean disaster.

"It's not like everyone lives far from the shelters," another member, Tiancheng Construction, chimed in. "If things get bad, people can just drop their belongings and run. Most can reach a shelter in minutes."

While this sounded reasonable, it ignored the plight of the elderly, disabled, and sick, who might struggle to evacuate quickly. In the chaos, tens of thousands could be left behind. But in the face of an apocalypse, such cold calculations were becoming the norm. Even in peacetime, the wealthy often disregarded the lives of ordinary people. Now, with private shelters further widening the gap, the divide was only growing starker.

"Speaking of which, is the official timeline reliable?" asked a user named Mr. Zhuang, who seemed to be a wealthy second-generation heir. "They say we have at least 20 days, but the temperature outside is already hitting 40 degrees. My family had to move into our shelter early, and now we're stuck managing everything remotely."

For someone used to a life of luxury and freedom, being confined to a shelter was clearly a source of frustration.

"40 degrees?" Su Wu murmured, glancing at the thermometer outside his bedroom window. The reading showed 42 degrees, far higher than Mr. Zhuang's report and well beyond Jianghe City's historical records. Just yesterday, the temperature had peaked at 34 degrees. Overnight, the climate had shifted from early summer to the peak of midsummer.

Su Wu opened the window, and a wave of scorching heat rushed in, instantly raising the room's temperature. "It's no longer safe for humans to work outside for long," he thought, his gaze drifting to the distant mountains. A faint glow of fire flickered on the horizon, accompanied by plumes of gray-white smoke rising into the sky. A wildfire was spreading.

In normal times, forest firefighters would have been dispatched to contain it. But now, with the government overwhelmed by shelter construction and mass relocations, there was no capacity to fight the flames. The fire would rage unchecked.

"I remember there's an air raid shelter in those mountains," Su Wu recalled. "Some wealthy family bought the entire hillside. I wonder if they'll survive this."

He had considered that location for his own shelter but had been outbid. Now, he felt a pang of relief that he hadn't secured it. The combination of wildfires, extreme heat, and toxic smoke would pose a nightmare scenario for any shelter. Without a flawless ventilation and air purification system, survival would be unlikely.

Turning his attention back to his own shelter, Su Wu watched as a miniature transport truck emerged from the underground passage, loaded with gravel and soil. Despite the oppressive heat, the engineering team, controlled by his primary AI, continued to work with unwavering efficiency. The underground space of his shelter was steadily expanding.

"By tonight, the second floor should be complete," Su Wu thought. "After a couple of days of finishing touches, it'll be ready for me to move in."

The two-story underground shelter spanned 650 square meters. The first floor included a 50-square-meter space dedicated to a power room and a water storage room. The power room housed a new geothermal generator, connected to the same underground pipeline as the one aboveground. Su Wu had also left space for two additional generators, ensuring redundancy.

The water storage room contained a water pump and purification tank, designed to draw and filter groundwater for use in the hydroponic farm on the first floor and the living quarters on the second.

The second floor was divided into several functional areas: a living space, a control center, a machinery manufacturing center, a storage room for daily necessities, and a water tower. The living area included three bedrooms, an entertainment room, a living room, a dining area, a bathroom, and a kitchen. This would be Su Wu's primary living space once the apocalypse arrived.

(End of Chapter)