After a brief exchange with them, the construction plan was quickly finalized.
He quickly typed a command on the console and handed over the rest of the work to the artificial intelligence.
The geothermal generator, upgraded by survival points, had a very simple installation process. Initially, Su Wu could install it manually with ease. Now, with artificial intelligence in charge, there was no risk of mistakes.
After observing the construction robot at work for a while, Su Wu, now free from the task, switched to monitoring other areas of the official shelter through its internal network.
He had long been curious about the official shelter, designed by countless professionals.
Now was a good opportunity to explore it.
Jianghe City Shelter No. 9
The main structure relied on four subway stations, two underground shopping malls, two military air-raid shelters, and thousands of civilian underground parking lots and material warehouses, all interconnected by underground passages of varying sizes.
The overall layout resembled an underground city, with a complex, crisscrossing root system.
The shelter had a permanent population of about 560,000, making it one of the largest in Jianghe City.
It housed a large underground food production plant, two small and medium-sized sewage treatment plants, and a relatively abundant inventory of electronic components, mainly sourced from relocated ground-level factories.
"So, the official shelter... doesn't seem to be in great condition?"
After reviewing multiple monitoring feeds, Su Wu came to a hesitant conclusion.
Aside from its size, the official shelter wasn't significantly better than his own.
Even the most basic necessities—food and water—weren't fully self-sufficient. Some elderly, disabled, or otherwise vulnerable people, unable to work, were surviving on minimal rations made from insects and earthworms. Though they weren't starving yet, their conditions were clearly deteriorating.
The residential facilities were in even worse shape.
It had only been ten days since the large-scale relocation to the underground shelter, yet many overcrowded areas already had broken pipes, sewage leaks, and poor sanitation.
The contrast was stark: while most shelter residents performed heavy labor—construction, material transport, and livestock farming—there were small family quarters belonging to the shelter's middle and upper management, where a few privileged individuals lived leisurely, untouched by hardship.
"This is absurd."
The more Su Wu observed, the more speechless he became. The shelter didn't feel like a newly operational facility with untouched food reserves—it looked more like a war-torn stronghold that had been struggling for survival for years.
What struck him the most were the elderly, frail from hunger, and the injured workers who, lacking medical care, could only groan in pain.
In a world where everyone was struggling just to survive, society's most vulnerable had been the first to fall into the abyss.
"If food reserves were truly low, this might be understandable."
"But the high-level families are throwing away excess food while others starve."
From an outsider's perspective, Su Wu could clearly see the divide between the shelter's ruling class and its common residents.
This was not a natural disaster.
It was man-made.
"At least I'm not one of them."
Shaking his head, Su Wu sighed. His previous admiration for the official shelter's safety and reliability had completely vanished.
In its place was a renewed determination to build his own shelter.
Even if his own base was small, lacking in supplies, and exposed to the terrifying natural disasters outside, at least everything there belonged to him.
He had the space, the freedom, and the time to gradually improve his life.
While Su Wu was observing the official shelter's living conditions, the details of his transaction were submitted to the desk of Ming Runshan, the director of Shelter No. 9.
Inside a brightly lit office, Ming Runshan picked up the document, his eyes lingering on the title:
[Proposal for Purchasing Geothermal Generators from Huangshi Village Shelter]
Huangshi Village was where Su Wu's shelter was located. Since he hadn't named it, the document temporarily referred to the village instead.
After carefully reviewing the contents, Ming Runshan's interest was piqued.
He looked up and asked his secretary,
"Is this geothermal generator really as reliable as they claim?"
"A stable output comparable to a small hydropower station, regardless of terrain or seasonal changes?"
As the highest-ranking official of the shelter, Ming Runshan valued stability above all else.
A small hydropower station with consistent energy output would be a game-changer, second only to the food production plant in importance.
The secretary, cautious not to misstep, quickly recalled the relevant details and responded carefully,
"According to the reported data, yes."
"The seller has already delivered the generator, and it's currently being installed and tested in Warehouse 055."
"It's expected to be fully operational by tomorrow afternoon."
Ming Runshan nodded thoughtfully.
His gaze returned to the document as he considered the implications.
"Huangshi Village… It's not too far from here."
"That means after-sales support won't be an issue."
"Let's observe first."
With that, he signed his name on the document, officially approving the 7 million material exchange.
The secretary stood by with his head lowered, his posture respectful, careful not to disturb his superior.
He had been working under Ming Runshan for four or five years. Before, their differences in status had been minor. But ever since Ming Runshan became the director of Shelter No. 9 and gained control over hundreds of thousands of lives, the balance had shifted.
The man's growing authority made the secretary more cautious than ever.
One wrong move, and Ming Runshan's punishment wouldn't just affect him—it could determine the fate of his entire family.
At this moment, Ming Runshan wasn't just a bureaucrat.
He was the absolute ruler of this underground city.
A feudal lord in a post-apocalyptic world, holding the power of life and death over his subjects—unchecked, unquestioned.
Even if he ruled with an iron fist, there was no one left to stop him.