Apocalypse Survival: Starting with a Shelter

The day after the bonfire dinner, the fragile peace was shattered.

Without any warning, the surface temperature skyrocketed within 20 minutes, reaching an unprecedented peak of 80°C.

When this hellish heat, reminiscent of molten lava, engulfed Jianghe City, scavengers scattered throughout the ruins reacted like ants drenched in boiling water.

Their desperate attempts to escape only brought them closer to death. Most scavengers perished in the ruins, with only a lucky few managing to retreat to their vehicles.

Even those who found temporary refuge in their vehicles weren't truly safe. The heat posed a severe challenge to the modified vehicles. Air conditioners, unable to cope, began spewing hot air. Engines, strained to their limits, approached critical overheating.

The fortunate might limp back to their shelters. Those less lucky faced engine failures mid-journey, trapped in vehicles that became iron coffins under the scorching heat.

Within 30 minutes, the rising temperatures claimed the lives of thousands across Jianghe City.

In the control center on the second underground floor of the farmhouse, Su Wu received an extreme heat warning from the AI. Thankfully, all his active vehicles had passed this trial without issues.

"80°C..." Su Wu muttered, his expression unusually grave.

While the underground base offered some insulation, prolonged exposure to such heat would inevitably strain even his shelter. For shallow shelters, the situation was dire, their living conditions rapidly deteriorating.

July 24th

The surface temperature continued its upward climb, peaking at 90°C.

In such an environment, even a cup of water would heat up to the point of scalding within minutes.

This intense heat rendered most previously modified vehicles inoperable. Nearly all surface logistics networks ground to a halt, effectively isolating Jianghe City's shelters. Without external trade, the city fell into an enforced lockdown.

"Outside has become even more desolate," Su Wu observed through his reconnaissance drone feed.

The ruins, shimmering as though melting under the heat, created a heavy, oppressive atmosphere.

The drones revealed that only Su Wu's vehicles continued to operate. Maintaining this edge, however, had cost him 12 survival points, spent on equipping his vehicles with advanced cooling systems.

Even then, only 10 vehicles were functional. Two additional cooling systems had been allocated to the geothermal generator and cement production equipment at the limestone quarry.

Suddenly, a plume of black smoke rose from a section of the ruins. Su Wu guided a drone closer to investigate and found a private shelter engulfed in flames.

Thick smoke and occasional sparks spewed from the ventilation shafts, a harrowing sign of the inferno within.

"They're beyond saving," Su Wu concluded after a quick glance.

The combination of raging fire and toxic fumes inside the shelter, coupled with the uninhabitable conditions outside, left its occupants with no escape.

After a brief moment of silence, Su Wu averted his gaze. The drone, now overheating, issued its own warning.

Despite enhancements from survival points, the drones could only operate for minutes in 90°C heat before risking critical failures. Su Wu promptly ordered them to return, concluding the reconnaissance.

July 25th

The surface temperature never dipped below 90°C the entire day.

High temperatures weren't the only threat.

During lunch, as Su Wu and the others were finishing their meal, a noticeable tremor shook the ground. The shaking lasted for about 15 seconds before subsiding.

Su Wu immediately opened his tablet to review the AI's latest report.

"Magnitude 6.3 earthquake," he read aloud. "It's not too serious, probably an aftershock from the last one."

Relieved, Su Wu set the tablet aside. The previous earthquake's devastation was still fresh in his memory; he had no desire to experience another disaster of that scale.

Though relatively mild, the 6.3 quake was enough to trouble poorly constructed shelters.

Chen Xin, clearly concerned, rushed to her room, opened the laptop Su Wu had given her, and remotely checked on the Lime Shelter. Dedicated to her role, she couldn't bear the thought of her oversight leading to unnecessary casualties.

Su Wu left her to it and returned to the control center. Connecting to the official satellite network, he quickly accessed firsthand information.

The earthquake's overall impact was minor, but in some cases, small damages had catastrophic consequences.

In one official shelter, both the generator and central air conditioning failed simultaneously during the quake.

Before rescue teams could arrive via underground tunnels, the entire residential area was overtaken by toxic fumes and intense heat, leaving no survivors.

This tragedy underscored the scarcity of essential survival gear. Insulated suits and oxygen tanks, though relatively basic and affordable items, were available only in painfully limited quantities compared to the billions of global citizens.

In reality, such shortages meant that

every seemingly preventable disaster often resulted in near-total casualties.

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