The special transport vehicle quickly entered the city and met the large truck at a roadblock about 20 meters long.
The lights of the two vehicles intersected in the darkness, illuminating the surroundings as if it were daytime.
"It's time to work."
Su Wu operated the special transport vehicle, unfolded the work platform, extended the electric pick and bucket, and began clearing the debris on the road.
To improve efficiency, he did not let the artificial intelligence take over the whole process. Instead, he controlled it himself.
He ignored many pieces of debris that did not obstruct the truck's passage. Larger obstacles that had to be dealt with were either crushed with the electric pick or moved aside by a few centimeters to a few meters using the bucket, depending on their location, material, and size. He avoided unnecessary actions whenever possible.
With this delicate, precise approach, the entire cleanup process progressed rapidly, clearing an average of over a meter per minute.
At the same time, such high efficiency inevitably created a great deal of noise.
Like the sounds of a construction site, it drowned out the howling wind and spread far into the distance, bringing an unusual sense of life to the dark, desolate city.
One or two kilometers away from the blocked truck, inside a medium-sized corporate-level shelter, several employees on duty in the monitoring room noticed the commotion.
"Someone's still working outside at this hour," a young employee in his twenties remarked in amazement.
"Must be government personnel on an urgent task," a middle-aged man in his forties responded. His life experience led him to instinctively make assumptions that aligned with his past encounters.
As he spoke, his expression unconsciously relaxed.
No matter who was making the noise, it meant that humans were still active on the surface, carrying out production tasks while resisting extreme climate disasters. It was proof that humanity was not alone.
"I'll check it out. Sounds like it's coming from Gong Er Street."
"Found it."
The operator at the monitoring station, unable to contain his curiosity, swiftly located the source of the disturbance. Using a still-functioning traffic camera, he zoomed in on the special transport vehicle and the large truck on the street.
"Whoa! That thing looks awesome!"
"It's like some high-tech unmanned vehicle!"
The young employee who had first spoken rushed to the screen, eyes wide with excitement. He stared at the special transport vehicle clearing the road, as if he had just discovered a new toy. Its unique, somewhat sci-fi design was striking, leaving a strong impression on those seeing it for the first time.
"They're clearing the roadblock."
"Looks like they're making way for the truck to leave the city."
The operator, more observant, noticed a basketball-sized rock rolling along the roadside, pushed forward by the wind before disappearing into the darkness. He couldn't help but sigh.
"Transporting goods in a storm like this? Only the government would have the guts and the means to pull that off."
"Yeah. Anyone else would be too scared to even step outside their shelter."
The middle-aged employee also approached the screen, watching the highly efficient operation. However, his thoughts drifted to something else.
"This is actually good news for us."
"If the government has equipment this advanced, future rescue operations should be a lot easier."
More advanced vehicles and unmanned control systems meant better mobility in extreme conditions, increasing the chances of survival for scattered shelters in distress.
"You're right."
"I think I'll sleep better at night knowing this."
The young employee agreed wholeheartedly.
In the monitoring room, the discussion grew livelier. The previously dull atmosphere lifted as the sight of the two vehicles brought a sense of stability. A feeling of security spread among the staff—like they had found something to rely on.
Meanwhile, on the surface, the cleanup operation was nearing completion.
The wind had quietly intensified, surpassing 37 meters per second and reaching level 13.
At this wind speed, the transport vehicle's movements became noticeably distorted, requiring more time to correct and execute actions accurately.
But fortunately, it was almost over.
As the final piece of debris was shattered by the electric pick, the special transport vehicle and the large truck successfully linked up.
There was no celebration, no hesitation.
The special transport vehicle immediately retracted its work platform. As the leader of a small convoy consisting of two vehicles, it set off toward the distant shelter in Huangshi Village.
"The wind speed is rising too fast."
Inside the shelter's second underground floor, Su Wu sat in the control center, eyes fixed on the screen. The "Returning" status displayed there did not bring him any relief—if anything, it only heightened his sense of urgency.
He noticed that the storm was intensifying much faster than expected.
At this rate, by the time the convoy reached the shelter, it could be facing winds of level 16 or even 17.
Watching the screen, where sand and gravel danced wildly in the truck's headlights, Su Wu fell silent for a few seconds. Then he took a deep breath, knowing he had to make a decision.
Should he abandon the special transport vehicle, allowing the large truck to accelerate and return alone? Or should he take the risk and hope the storm wouldn't escalate too quickly?
He hesitated for only half a second.
Then, his eyes sharpened. He had made up his mind.
He would take the risk.
Under Su Wu's command, the two speeding vehicles gradually slowed down and swapped positions. The front of the special transport vehicle aligned with the rear tow hook of the large truck.
Under normal circumstances, linking them together would have been a simple task.
But with the raging storm outside preventing the construction robots from assisting, it took over a minute to complete.
And as it turned out, that one-minute delay was completely worth it.
Shortly after they resumed their journey, the storm intensified to level 16.
At that moment, an ear-splitting howl filled the air.
It was as if the sky itself was collapsing.
The wind roared like monstrous waves crashing against the earth.