Chapter 18: Little Businessman

Su Wu meticulously refined the shelter's functions and early warning systems. A design for a completely self-contained refuge, practically isolated from the outside world, began to take shape. Anticipating its completion, he transferred the design to the AI's work queue.

Half a second later, the AI reported that completing these tasks would take 1,227 hours, significantly longer than expected.

"Why so long?" Su Wu wondered, surprised. The detailed report revealed the bottleneck: a shortage of suitable circuit boards and detector components, particularly specialized chips.

"I can salvage circuit boards from discarded appliances, but the missing chips are difficult to fabricate," he realized.

While engineering robots excelled at mechanical manufacturing, they were less adept at producing electronic components. Previously, Su Wu had resorted to using survival points for forced upgrades, but that was a last resort. Now, upgrading non-critical systems with survival points seemed wasteful, especially since his reserves were low.

"I'll have to buy them," he decided. He wasn't willing to waste the engineering robots' time on low-end chips. He logged onto the internet and posted purchase requests in the Jianghe City Doomsday group and local forums.

"High-quality chips?" one person responded. "That's a niche request. There's not much demand for them now."

Su Wu's attractive payment offer quickly drew attention. Many inquired about trading other items. He briefly entertained some offers but, finding nothing urgently needed, politely declined.

It wasn't the ideal time for trading. The doomsday was still relatively recent. Ignoring the sporadic heatwaves, the 50+ degree temperatures, while severe, weren't immediately life-threatening. Many hadn't fully adjusted to the reality of the situation and still clung to pre-apocalypse valuations.

Later that afternoon, a small businessman on a local forum finally contacted Su Wu with a promising lead.

"Do you need L3 washing machine chips?" the message read. "I have about ten thousand. They're brand new, still in their original packaging, from a small factory that used them for payment."

Su Wu was intrigued. While designed for washing machines, the L3 chip was a relatively high-end component with a wide range of applications. It could be considered a valuable commodity, capable of reducing construction time and survival point expenditure.

"If the price is right, I'll take them all," Su Wu replied. "What are you looking for in exchange?"

The seller's request was surprisingly modest: "Ten kilograms of lettuce, sugar, chocolate, vitamin tablets, and some painkillers. You can decide the quantities of everything except the lettuce, but each item should be at least a little. Double the current market price for everything."

The offer was very favorable. The fresh vegetables were practically free for Su Wu, and while the other items were valuable, the quantity required, even doubled in price, was manageable.

"The price is acceptable," Su Wu confirmed. "How do we proceed?"

"The chips are in a warehouse in the suburbs," the seller explained. "I'm in an official shelter and can't leave. Could you pick them up?" There was a hint of hesitation in the message, as if the seller anticipated a refusal.

"Will you need me to deliver anything to you later?" Su Wu asked. "I'd appreciate it if you could."

"If the delivery fee isn't enough," the seller offered, "there are some hardware tools and metal sheets in the warehouse you can take as compensation."

After a few more exchanges, Su Wu agreed. He had anticipated this situation. Most people were confined to their shelters, making long-distance transactions difficult. Inevitably, Su Wu would have to act as the courier.

Reviewing the seller's requests, Su Wu pictured an ordinary person, stuck in an official shelter, lacking connections and resources.

"Alright," he replied. "I'll deliver what you need to the official shelter."

The exchange concluded, and Su Wu saved the address and access code for the warehouse. He retrieved a hand crossbow from a cabinet – his only weapon – and prepared to leave.

However, he wanted to be extra cautious. He recalled a construction robot from the third floor.

Minutes later, the robot arrived at the control center.

"Take this crossbow and these bolts to the truck," Su Wu instructed. "Wait there for orders."

He watched the robot leave and then returned to the console. There was no rule requiring him to go in person. An automated truck, a construction robot, and remote communication equipment were perfectly adequate for this task.

Of course, there were disadvantages. The robot's reactions wouldn't be as quick as a human's, and with only three robots, taking one off construction duty would cause delays.

"Once the second floor renovation is complete," Su Wu thought, "I should accumulate some more survival points. Another construction robot would be a good investment. It could handle construction, errands, and even security."

As Su Wu pondered this, the construction robot reached the truck. He remotely connected to the truck through the console.

(End of Chapter)