Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

While chaos reigned in both the real world and online, Su Wu was still sitting in his bedroom in the suburban outskirts of Jianghe City, casually browsing forums.

The massive relocation of tens of millions of people seemed to have diverted much of the government's attention. Previously restricted information had begun leaking online, and Su Wu even found several disaster investigation reports from within the Federal Government.

According to the reports, it was confirmed that in one to one and a half months, the global average temperature would rise above 60°C (140°F), possibly reaching as high as 100°C (212°F). At those levels, the surface would no longer be habitable for ordinary humans.

"At least a month," Su Wu muttered.

It wasn't good news, but it wasn't the worst either. Knowing the timeline was far better than being left in the dark.

After some calculations, Su Wu concluded that, at the current construction pace, both the second and third underground floors would be completed in time, ensuring his readiness to move in. This realization calmed him significantly.

With the shelter construction on track, Su Wu found himself with little to do. The engineering crew, managed by the AI assistant Luo Tianyi, was handling everything. The only tasks left for him were external trade and gathering more information.

Deciding to stay productive, Su Wu opened his chat group.

The doomsday prepper group was buzzing with activity, like an ant colony in turmoil. Messages were flying in at a rate of dozens per second as members discussed the shocking relocation of millions of people from coastal areas.

Once the initial excitement waned, the conversations turned more substantive. Su Wu noticed several wealthy individuals with shelters posting requests to trade for scarce resources.

In the current environment, where the impending apocalypse was an open secret, few were still dealing in cash. Bartering had become the norm.

"Urgently seeking excavators, electric hammers, and jackhammers around Jianghe City. Will trade steel, rubber, or food. Details negotiable."

One particular message caught Su Wu's eye.

He was located in Jianghe City and had the capability to manufacture excavators. Steel, a critical material for building shelters and machinery, was a resource he could never have too much of.

Su Wu decided to send a private message.

"Are you interested in mini excavators?"

He attached several images and specifications of the mini excavators he could produce.

"Yes, absolutely. I'll trade 20 tons of partially processed steel for one mini excavator. I'll take as many as you can provide."

The reply was almost instant, revealing the sender's urgency.

By normal market standards, 20 tons of steel, valued at about 1.2 million yuan, was roughly equivalent to eight mini excavators. Trading that amount for a single excavator was a significant concession.

This was understandable. While steel was a raw material requiring further processing, excavators were immediately useful survival tools for expanding shelter space. For those who received the apocalypse news too late, excavators were worth any price.

"Do you have scrap metal?" Su Wu asked next.

For him, scrap metal was almost as good as processed steel, but it was far cheaper.

"Yes, but not much. We've got 200 to 300 tons in the warehouse. If you want it, I'll trade at 100 tons per excavator. You'll have to arrange transportation yourself."

The logistics were challenging. With an average truck carrying five tons, moving 200 tons would require dozens of trips. In a time when manpower and fuel were precious, this wasn't an easily provided service.

"Deal. I'll trade three mini excavators for all your scrap metal. Any remaining balance can be converted into processed steel."

Su Wu decided to take the entire lot.

To fulfill the trade, he planned to manufacture three diesel-powered mini excavators, which cost only two survival points each and were sufficient for the task. He couldn't spare the advanced models already in use by his construction team, as they were critical to the shelter's progress.

With the deal finalized and delivery scheduled for the following day, Su Wu opened his laptop's control panel and instructed the engineering robots to prioritize manufacturing the excavators.

He then went downstairs to his courtyard's makeshift garage.

Even wealthy individuals building private shelters struggled to secure transportation these days. For Su Wu, who was already short on resources, hiring a truck and driver was out of the question. He would have to solve the transportation problem himself.

The garage contained little of value—just a secondhand van for siphoning gasoline and an old tractor for diesel.

After a brief glance, Su Wu dismissed the van. With a payload capacity of just one ton and limited cargo space, it was unsuitable for large-scale transport.

Instead, he focused on the tractor, which was sturdier, more reliable, and capable of carrying heavier loads.

[Agricultural Two-Wheel Drive Tractor]

Speed: 32 km/h

Fuel Consumption: 7 liters/hour

Payload Capacity: 3 tons

Upgrade Options: Diesel Truck (3 survival points), Electric Truck (5 survival points)

Additional Upgrades: Armor, Off-Road Capability, Speed, Range, Insulation, Radiation Resistance, Filtration, Electronics.

The tractor, being a complete and functional piece of equipment, came with several optional upgrades not previously seen. Su Wu could enhance its attributes, adding extra features to the upgraded version.

After some consideration, Su Wu selected Armor as an additional upgrade.

This choice cost him an extra 3 survival points and about two tons of steel. For the main upgrade, he opted for the Electric Truck.

Diesel and gasoline were in critically short supply, and relying on them would render the vehicle useless after a few trips. Electricity, on the other hand, was abundant in Su Wu's shelter, making the electric truck far more practical and cost-effective.

With the upgrades complete, Su Wu was ready to handle the transportation himself. The electric truck, reinforced with armor, woul

d ensure a smoother and safer delivery of the scrap metal and steel he desperately needed.