After a short break,
Outside the city subway station,
Two geothermal generators and a drilling machine were finally transferred to the official shelter along the temporary wooden track, thanks to the tireless efforts of the construction robots.
With the heavy iron door of the official shelter completely closed,
Su Wu, who was far away in the control center, noticed a brief freeze on the operation screen before it returned to normal.
This indicated that communication between Su Wu and the construction robots now had an additional link through the internal network of the official shelter.
"The speed is fine. No impact."
"And it looks like communication for many others has been restored as well."
Su Wu controlled a construction robot and scanned the corridor of the shelter.
He was quite satisfied with the smooth video feedback. With this network speed, communication and coordination with the official personnel would not be hindered at all.
Additionally, he discovered that within the small intranet of the official shelter, he could log in to the chat software.
Many people who had lost contact on the external network were now visible. What caught Su Wu's attention was that Chen Xin was among them.
"When I have time, I need to talk to her."
"I really need all those cover song recordings she has."
A few days ago, Su Wu had received two extra survival points for Chen Xin's Pillow Fairy Tale.
Even though he hadn't been able to replicate the same reward no matter how many times he tried afterward,
Chen Xin's uniqueness had been firmly etched in Su Wu's mind.
Now that he had a chance to contact her, he would take it—whether or not it proved useful.
After navigating through the corridor for a while,
A hall appeared at the end. The loud hum of machinery mixed with the chatter of workers, sending waves of noise rolling in. Even Ye Xi's voice, as she spoke beside Su Wu's construction robot, became slightly distorted.
Su Wu adjusted the camera focus.
Soon, a clear sign on the hall's side wall came into view.
[Jianghe City Shelter No. 9, Construction Zone 055]
"Why is there a construction site here?"
Su Wu was surprised.
Judging by the section number, this wasn't just some minor renovation—it seemed to be part of a massive infrastructure project affecting the entire city and all official shelters.
"This is one of the logistics sites for digging deep shelters," Ye Xi explained.
"It handles basic processes like cutting plates and mixing concrete."
She stepped aside to avoid a forklift passing by, then pointed toward a lift in the corner of the hall.
"The materials from this hall are transported 270 meters underground through that lift."
"They're used to expand new shelter spaces."
Su Wu followed Ye Xi's gaze to the open-air lift platform, where a load of mixed cement was being transported deep underground. He quickly grasped the significance.
"Digging out a new shelter at such a depth… Is this preparation for future disasters?"
"Exactly."
"According to the latest findings from the Academy of Sciences, the surface climate may become far more extreme than previously estimated."
"They predict the average temperature will rise above 100 degrees."
Ye Xi nodded, openly sharing what was likely classified information.
"The only way to ensure long-term survival with minimal energy consumption is to create living spaces deep underground."
"Then I should start preparing in advance," Su Wu mused.
Compared to the official shelter, his own was only ten meters underground. At best, it was slightly better than makeshift cellars dug by farmers or underground parking garages in older residential areas.
In terms of resilience against extreme risks, it couldn't compare to a shelter built over 200 meters underground.
However, with the help of survival points, his shelter wasn't completely lacking.
Its one-meter-thick concrete walls, world-class central air conditioning, and advanced air circulation system were already better than most ordinary shelters.
In the short term, he wouldn't be in any immediate danger.
"You shouldn't have much to worry about."
"If you make good use of the seven million material quota from this deal, it'll be more than enough to build a secure private fortress."
A hint of envy crept into Ye Xi's voice.
Seven million worth of resources was an astronomical sum in the current world. For anyone in a shelter, it was enough to elevate their living conditions—and those of their family and friends—to a level akin to the world's wealthiest. At least for the next few years, they wouldn't need to worry about running out.
"I hope so."
Su Wu didn't argue. No matter what he said now, it would come off as bragging, so he chose to stay quiet.
After passing through the hall, they walked some distance through the original subway tunnel.
Soon, they arrived at their destination.
It appeared to be a material preparation area.
Here, an energetic older man in his fifties or sixties finished handing off his tasks to Ye Xi.
"So, this is the seller of the generator you found?"
"Quite the unique approach."
The old man studied the construction robot Su Wu was operating, his sharp eyes belying his age.
"Hello, my name is Su Wu," Su Wu introduced himself directly.
"I'm the electrical engineer in charge of this shelter. You can call me Li He," the man replied with a nod. His expression carried both anticipation and caution.
"Young man."
"—I assume you're young based on your voice?"
"Geothermal generators have never been installed in Jianghe City before."
"With the geothermal resources here…"
"Are you sure they can really generate the 300 kWh you claimed?"
As a veteran in the power industry, Li He's skepticism was understandable.
Generating 300 kWh was no small feat. If it were that easy, geothermal power would have already been widely adopted in Jianghe City due to its stability, cleanliness, and cost-efficiency.
Yet, before Su Wu arrived, not a single geothermal power plant had been established here.
"I'm not entirely sure. We'll only know for certain after installation and testing."
Su Wu hesitated for a moment, unwilling to make guarantees.
Even with the successful example from his own shelter, he couldn't be 100% certain, given the lack of prior site surveys.
"Fair enough. Let's proceed, then."
"If you need anything, just let us know—we'll do our best to provide it."
Li He didn't push for a promise. Instead, he sighed, stepped aside, and introduced his technical team to Su Wu.