Chapter 16: Military Control
"It shouldn't spread," Su Wu observed, assessing the situation around the burning buildings. Confirming that the fires were contained, he shifted his attention to the street below.
Various vehicles, packed with supplies and people, formed long queues leading to shelter entrances. Thanks to official coordination, despite the apparent panic, the evacuation was proceeding with reasonable efficiency.
However, with so many people, incidents were inevitable. At a nearby intersection, a riot erupted. Su Wu directed his drone formation, leaving one drone as a communication relay while the other two descended to capture footage.
Several shirtless young men emerged from a van, forcefully dragging the driver and passengers of another vehicle involved in a minor collision. The narrow street quickly became congested, the line of stalled vehicles stretching for several kilometers.
Within moments, a team of armed soldiers arrived. Without hesitation, they shot and killed the troublemakers, then dragged the bodies and the vehicles off the road. The traffic flow resumed.
"It seems they've entered a state of military control," Su Wu mused. "Stability and efficiency are paramount." The decisive action of the soldiers revealed the city's leadership's priorities.
With the situation resolved, Su Wu continued his aerial patrol. His three upgraded drones formed a powerful reconnaissance unit. Two served as communication relays, extending the signal range, while the third was a specialized reconnaissance drone equipped with a high-definition camera and terrain radar.
The formation could operate up to thirty kilometers from the shelter, covering the entire urban and suburban areas of Jianghe City. In an environment where network disruptions were a constant threat, these drones were invaluable.
Analyzing the data collected by the drones, Su Wu gained a comprehensive understanding of the situation. In just half a day, combined with earlier evacuations, roughly half of the city's two million-plus population had been moved to shelters. However, the hasty evacuation had resulted in a high casualty rate, particularly among the elderly and infirm.
Essential supplies like food and medicine had been mostly transferred. Remaining non-essential materials were either sealed on-site or being transported gradually. These actions suggested that officials anticipated a prolonged period of disrupted industrial production. This realization made Su Wu more cautious about future surface activities.
As night fell, the evacuation continued unabated, even accelerating. Su Wu, having gathered sufficient information, recalled his drones and turned his attention to upgrading his shelter. Regardless of the external situation, the shelter remained his foundation.
[10 survival points consumed, hydroponic farm upgraded.]
[Semi-automatic hydroponic farm advanced to fully automatic hydroponic farm.]
[Farm expected output +15%.]
[New multi-functional farm management robot added.]
[New functions: pollination, insect removal, harvesting, and low-temperature storage.]
The fully automatic hydroponic farm, with its optimized nutrient and lighting systems, significantly increased crop yields. The farm management robot freed Su Wu from all farm-related tasks. He now only needed to decide which crops to plant and collect the harvest.
"A batch of vegetables will be ready soon," he noted. "I don't need to dedicate all the space to vegetables. Perhaps I can add some flowers." Considering the harsh future environment, where plants and animals might disappear, Su Wu wanted to preserve some beauty and improve the shelter's atmosphere. Fresh flowers could make a big difference.
With the hydroponic farm upgraded, Su Wu focused on the machinery manufacturing center. Currently just an empty shell, he decided to use his remaining survival points to create a basic engineering robot. Further development would have to wait.
Engineering robots were among the most valuable assets Su Wu possessed. The single existing robot had been instrumental in building the shelter and creating most of its equipment. Its presence in the manufacturing center meant that, even if slowly, the facility now possessed basic mechanical processing capabilities.
[16 survival points consumed, a new engineering robot added.]
[Daily automatic maintenance of shelter equipment, improved repair capabilities, increased emergency response and risk resistance.]
After these upgrades, the shelter's level progressed from "Standard Personal Sanctuary (27%)" to "Standard Personal Sanctuary (76%)." The next level was within reach.
Exhausted after spending his survival points, Su Wu showered and went to bed, enjoying the comfortable temperature maintained by the central air conditioning. No matter how chaotic the world outside became, his underground shelter remained a haven of peace and quiet.
(End of Chapter)