While Su Wu was vacationing in the garden with the girls, the Farmhouse—a colossal entity that had grown into a dominant force in the Eastern Continent—continued to move forward along its predetermined trajectory.
400 kilometers north of Jianghe City lay Steel City, an ancient industrial hub that had weathered numerous natural disasters and the final war before slowly falling back into silence. Yet, beneath the thick layers of snow and the frozen factories, deep underground, the massive underground shelters once excavated by countless workers with rugged machinery were undergoing a significant transformation.
In a large shelter in the eastern part of the city, the public broadcast system announced for the seventh time: "Residents of Angle Steel Street, proceed immediately to Shelter Level 1, Square 2. Repeat, everyone must go to Level 1, Square 2 without delay."
Ding Kai, exhausted and still asleep, instinctively turned over, once again ignoring the broadcast. However, a loud banging on the door accompanied by a man's angry shouts jolted him awake. The noise, far louder than the broadcast and the vibrations that shook his room, forced him to fully rouse. Recognizing the voice as Yuri, the constable in charge of their neighborhood, Ding Kai was instantly terrified, his sleepiness vanishing. Without bothering to tidy up, he quickly got up and opened the door.
"What's going on? Are you all dead in here? Why didn't your roommates wake you up before leaving?" Yuri's furious barrage made Ding Kai cower, instinctively apologizing. "I'm sorry, Constable Yuri, I was too deep in sleep and didn't hear. I have two good cigarettes, please—"
Before Ding Kai could finish, Yuri cut him off with a harsh wave. "I don't want your stuff. Just get to the square immediately." With that, Yuri turned and left without waiting for a response.
Watching Yuri's retreating figure, Ding Kai felt uneasy. Having lived here long enough, he knew Yuri's nature—stingy, greedy, and exceptionally cruel. Those who couldn't offer satisfactory bribes often faced dire consequences, sometimes even being sold to gangs. Yuri's refusal of the bribe this time likely wasn't a change of heart but indicated something else was afoot.
"I'm just a bit late. Surely it's not that serious," Ding Kai thought, recalling the tragic fates of those who had failed to bribe Yuri. He shivered, growing more fearful. But there was no time to dwell on it. Seeing Yuri getting further away, Ding Kai suppressed his anxiety and jogged after him.
Arriving at Level 1, Square 2, Ding Kai found it packed with people. A quick glance suggested thousands were present, likely the entire population of Angle Steel Street. To his slight relief, Yuri didn't single him out. After directing him to a queue, Yuri left without further interaction.
After waiting in line for over ten minutes, Ding Kai reached the front and realized it was a distribution point. A humanoid robot handed him a phone, a pair of wireless earbuds, and an electronic bracelet. A soldier in exoskeleton armor standing beside the robot briefly instructed him: "From now on, you must wear the bracelet at all times. The earbuds must also be worn except when in your dorm, showering, eating, or in recreational areas. The bracelet and earbuds are free, but the phone costs 5,000 Contribution Points, which will be deducted from your work account once you're assigned a job."
Ding Kai nodded obediently, unfazed by the soldier's cold tone. After over half a year in the post-apocalyptic shelter society, he understood that those who asked nothing of him were the most trustworthy.
After putting on the bracelet and earbuds, Ding Kai heard a soft beep followed by a monotone female voice in his ear. Slightly dazed, he glanced at the soldier, who seemed to anticipate his question and impatiently waved him off. "Listen to the earbuds' instructions. Don't ask me."
Taking the hint, Ding Kai kept quiet and followed the voice's guidance to head back and freshen up. However, as he neared his dorm building, he noticed several burly young men blocking his path. Recognizing them as members of the Wolf Gang, a group that once ruled the shelter, Ding Kai tensed. Though they were merely peripheral members—hoodlums at best—they often bullied people like him for amusement.
Hesitating, Ding Kai considered detouring, but the leader, Brother Hu, had already spotted him. With a quick signal, his lackeys surrounded Ding Kai. "He's the last one from here to go to the square and get supplies," one of them said, eyeing Ding Kai like prey.
"Buddy, we need to talk. Come with me," Brother Hu said, forcefully dragging Ding Kai into a dark, secluded maintenance passage. Half a minute later, Brother Hu, now sure they were out of surveillance range, turned vicious. With a forceful shove, he slammed Ding Kai against the wall.
Ding Kai grunted, his back aching from the impact, but he ignored the pain, nervously watching the approaching thugs. "Brother Hu, let's talk this out. I've never disrespected you before."
"You're quite smart," Brother Hu said, though his grip tightened as he pulled Ding Kai closer. "Since you're our first catch today, I'll go easy. Hand over the phone you just got, and you can leave."
Ding Kai sighed in relief. As long as it wasn't murder, he could manage. Losing the phone he hadn't even had a chance to use was a shame, and the 5,000 Contribution Points would take a while to earn back.
Just then, the monotone female voice spoke in his ear again, startling him. His hesitation made Brother Hu think he was reconsidering, and he tightened his grip. "Are you trying to—"
Before he could finish, a faint hum sounded as a drone descended, its electromagnetic gun trained on Brother Hu's head. "Warning: You have violated Jianghe City's security regulations. Immediately kneel and await the Security Team's arrival."
Brother Hu's hair stood on end, and he released Ding Kai, raising his hands in surrender. "Officer, this is a misunderstanding. We haven't done anything. We were just discussing a debt repayment with this deadbeat," he said slowly, stalling. As he spoke, one of his lackeys behind the drone pulled out a crossbow, aiming at the hovering drone. But before he could fire, the drone's gun shifted and fired a blue flash, instantly killing him.
"Final warning: Any attack will be treated as resistance and met with lethal force." With this bloody example, Brother Hu and his remaining lackeys knelt without further protest.
Half a minute later, heavy footsteps approached as Yuri and several other security team members arrived. "Take them away," Yuri ordered coldly, his tone sending a shiver down Ding Kai's spine. Strangely, the security team members ignored Ding Kai entirely, cuffing Brother Hu and his gang before quickly cleaning up the scene and leaving.
Alone in the empty passage, Ding Kai stood in confusion, almost wondering if he'd hallucinated the entire event.
Due to the recent transition of power, Steel City's top rulers had been swiftly eliminated, while the rest were temporarily reassigned to ease the transition. Many of these individuals had past misdeeds, but under the strict management system and artificial intelligence surveillance, they could no longer exploit their positions. However, their past crimes weren't forgiven—they would face judgment after the transition period.
Under Su Wu and AI governance, Steel City began to regain its industrial vitality. Meanwhile, in Jianghe City's Farmhouse, millions reveled in excitement. Su Wu had announced upcoming changes to the labor system: after the completion of the underground levels, the mandatory 10-hour workday would be abolished, and a two-day monthly leave would be introduced. Additionally, the basic survival package would now include rice, potatoes, bean sprouts, and a small amount of chicken or fish instead of the previous diet of mealworms, earthworms, and spirulina.
This meant that, for the first time since the apocalypse, people at the Farmhouse would return to pre-apocalyptic dietary standards. Even the poorest could afford rice and some meat. "We're about to live a better life," countless voices echoed, their sentiments spreading across the Eastern Continent, heralding the miracle of post-apocalyptic recovery.
Meanwhile, in Tumen City, adjacent to Jianghe City, a massive convoy rolled through the snow, heading toward the Farmhouse. Inside a modified off-road vehicle, Qin Zhenghao glanced at a metal turret by the road and remarked, "The defenses here are ridiculously strong. Turrets every few hundred meters, drones and robots patrolling constantly—it's like there are more of them than vehicles in our convoy."
His companion rolled his eyes. "You really don't keep up with the news, do you? We're close to Jianghe City, less than a hundred kilometers from the legendary Qinling Mountain battlefield. It'd be weird if the defenses weren't this tight."
(End of Chapter)