The more Su Wu analyzed, the more dissatisfied he became with the combat capabilities of the construction robots.
But this was a problem of basic structure and hardware.
Unless they were completely redesigned, there was no way to solve it.
"I was lucky this time, but that might not be the case next time."
"We can't go on like this."
After reviewing the battle, Su Wu took a deep breath.
The pressure and sense of crisis caused by this unexpected encounter made him realize that he needed to build a more professional armed force to deal with similar threats as order gradually collapsed in the doomsday.
However, he was troubled about how to go about it.
It was necessary to develop armed forces, but they couldn't consume too many resources. At the same time, they had to possess an overwhelming advantage in combat.
Otherwise, there was no point in developing them.
After pondering for more than ten minutes, Su Wu finally set his sights on drones.
Among the supplies he had purchased from the official shelter were various models of commercial drones.
The most expensive one was the K2-series agricultural drone.
As a mass-produced commercial drone, the K2 had several obvious shortcomings.
Its fuselage was primarily made of plastic and thin metal sheets, offering almost no defense. Even a fist-sized rock could potentially bring it down. The mass-produced motor and poor heat dissipation system meant it could only operate normally in environments below 65 degrees. Additionally, its maximum speed was only 3 meters per second, and it couldn't fly higher than 200 meters—slower than a typical adult running.
But these drawbacks could not overshadow its two extremely valuable advantages.
It was an aerial unit and had a payload capacity of up to 50 kilograms.
These two advantages gave the K2-series agricultural drones unlimited modification potential.
The former allowed it to ignore obstacles and terrain, reaching any battlefield with ease. The latter meant it could carry enough ammunition to dominate a battle with sheer firepower.
"This is the one."
Su Wu made his decision.
He ordered a construction robot to retrieve the only two K2-series agricultural drones from the warehouse and bring them to the manufacturing center.
There, they were scanned, modeled, and converted into detailed 3D designs to facilitate modifications.
"First of all, in terms of positioning, they should be long-range bombing weapons."
"With a 50-kilogram payload, at least 40 kilograms must be dedicated to carrying explosives."
Firepower was king.
No matter what kind of enemy he faced, a well-placed barrage of bombs would certainly clear the battlefield.
As for the source of explosives, Su Wu had recently traded with the official shelter for hundreds of tons of fertilizer and household chemicals. With some refining, he could produce a functional substitute for gunpowder. It might not be as refined as military-grade explosives, but it would be more than sufficient for making bombs.
With the general role decided, the rest of the design process became much easier.
For the bombing method, Su Wu rejected the inefficient approach of simply dropping explosives, which relied heavily on luck. Instead, he opted for a more precise and long-range solution—rockets.
A single K2-series agricultural drone had a 50-kilogram payload and could carry five individual rockets, each weighing about 8.5 kilograms.
The remaining 7.5 kilograms of payload could be used for additional modifications.
For example, an improved heat dissipation system would allow the drone to operate in environments up to 85 degrees. A reinforced waterproof and air filtration system would enable it to fly through rain and thick smoke.
Additionally, minor structural adjustments would improve stability, allowing the drone to recover from minor attacks and continue operating as long as its core components remained intact.
One after another, modification ideas took shape in Su Wu's mind.
With the help of artificial intelligence simulations and calculations, these concepts were turned into practical blueprints.
Then, with the assistance of engineering robots, they were installed onto the K2-series agricultural drones.
More than ten hours later,
two K2-series agricultural drones equipped with rocket launchers stood on the workbench in the shelter's manufacturing center.
They were officially incorporated into the shelter's combat command system.
"Now, we finally have a real armed force."
Looking at the two drone icons on his console screen, Su Wu felt a deep sense of satisfaction and security.
And this was just the beginning.
There was still plenty of room for expansion.
With that in mind,
Su Wu drafted a blueprint for a foldable automated gun platform and instructed the engineering robots to produce ten units.
The structure of this shooting platform was simple.
It consisted of an assault rifle, a large ammunition capsule, an infrared camera, a 360-degree rotating base, and a microcomputer.
Weighing 40 kilograms in total, it could fold into a compact metal box when dormant.
A K2-series agricultural drone, after launching its rockets, could carry one of these platforms and airdrop it to any designated location.
Upon landing, the platform would automatically deploy into combat mode, attacking enemy-designated targets either autonomously or via remote control by the shelter's AI.
In addition to offensive operations, these platforms could also be deployed around the farmyard or at key locations within the underground shelter as a static defense system.
"The drones' rockets will serve as the first line of defense."
"The automated gun platforms will be the second line."
"Finally, the construction and engineering robots, equipped with firearms, will form the third line of defense."
"With this setup, unless we're facing a professional military force, no one should be able to break into the shelter."
Su Wu then commanded the newly modified drones to conduct a test drill outside.
Through the monitor, he watched as one of the drones successfully launched a rocket, striking a small hill over 200 meters away.
Satisfied, he ended the test.
...
Over the next few days,
everything proceeded smoothly.
Large trucks continued transporting the supplies purchased from the official shelter to the farmyard, working around the clock.
Construction robots then sorted and stored the materials accordingly—essential components went to the manufacturing center warehouse on the shelter's second underground floor, food and daily necessities were placed in the living supplies warehouse, and feedstock was delivered to the third underground floor's planting area.
More durable materials, such as cement, were simply stacked in sheds above ground or even stored inside the abandoned two-story house.
With a steady stream of resources,
Su Wu quickly completed the final reconstruction of the three-story underground breeding facility. The fish fry, eggs, and duck eggs he had purchased were all successfully settled in.
Meanwhile, the hundreds of soilless cultivation racks in the feed planting area were now sown with seeds, awaiting germination.
As the shelter's workload increased,
Su Wu spent another 15 survival points to acquire three additional construction robots, filling the labor gap.
At the end of the second month since Su Wu began building the shelter,
his construction robot workforce had grown to seven.
The shelter was finally showing signs of prosperity.