For the residents of Zhenhai City's shelter, the official completion of the undersea tunnel marked the end of their ordeal. From now on, all they had to do was board the subway train heading for the coastline, and they would be free from the dangerous environment. Whatever happened to Zhenhai City afterward would no longer concern them.
But for Su Wu, this was only the beginning. In his eyes, whether it was the influential figures or the ordinary citizens of Zhenhai City, none were the focus of his attention. What truly deserved his full attention was the collective whole they formed—the macro figure of 38 million people and the billions of tons of resources.
After ending his call with Ping Yuhan, Su Wu activated the Eden Satellite, which was stationed in synchronous orbit, to conduct an in-depth observation and analysis of the geological activities in Zhenhai City and the surrounding thousand-kilometer area. The results, calculated by artificial intelligence, were even more grim than they had been a few hours earlier.
The data showed that, at the latest, within 3 hours and 20 minutes, the highly active geological zone from the deep sea would spread to Zhenhai City's shelter. By then, it would be hard to predict what would become of the shelter. It might remain temporarily unscathed, or it might collapse entirely without warning, disappearing into the massive magma eruption from the seabed.
Regardless of the outcome, the reality was that it had already become a high-risk zone, and the value in Su Wu's hands was destined to be greatly diminished.
"So, the minimum income after taking over Zhenhai City will depend on how much we can transfer out of the city during the next 3 hours and 20 minutes of absolute safety," Su Wu realized with a sigh.
He stood up and walked over to the metal platform, enlarging the holographic map of Zhenhai City's shelter and the undersea tunnel. He stared at the displayed data on the distribution of various resources, remaining silent for several seconds before his gaze gradually became exceptionally calm.
"Within these three hours, half of the subway trains must be allocated to transporting rare resources," he decided. "As for the population, aside from the previously agreed-upon portion, priority should be given to transferring highly educated research talents and their families."
In just a few short sentences, Su Wu had determined that a full ten million people, who could have escaped Zhenhai City within the absolute safety of the next three hours, would now have to walk the line of death to gain a chance at survival. Moreover, aside from these unfortunate souls who had fallen from grace, another eighteen million would have to wait in line even further back.
In the face of Su Wu, who already controlled a population of 100 million, the 38 million survivors of Zhenhai City were important, but not that important. What Su Wu urgently needed now were the rare resources that could be used to build more high-end equipment, enhancing his transportation and combat capabilities.
Thus, when forced to make a choice and unable to have it both ways, millions or even tens of millions of people became the expendable part.
A deep rumble from underground echoed faintly, causing a slight tremor on the frozen layer of seawater above Zhenhai City's shelter and tearing open a crack just a few millimeters wide.
As if tolling the opening bell for the impending death of countless lives.
Jianghe City Shelter.
Starting Station of Subsea Passage No. 3.
A minor dispute erupted in the otherwise orderly queue.
The incident began when someone attempted to carry excessive luggage and forcefully bypass the security check to enter the platform.
"The size of my luggage is exactly the same as everyone else's."
"Why are you deliberately picking on me?"
The woman spoke with an aggressive tone.
She seemed quite intimidating.
"But the instruments show that, including the jewelry you're wearing."
"The total weight has exceeded the standard limit of 3.5 kilograms."
"It doesn't meet the requirements."
The security officer was clearly intimidated, speaking in a weak and uncertain voice.
"Does what I'm wearing count too?"
"I can't be bothered to argue with you."
"Move aside."
As she spoke, the woman tried to force her way in.
Her demeanor was so self-assured.
That the security officer momentarily froze, allowing her to slip past.
However, the woman didn't truly gain any advantage.
She had only taken two steps inside when she was locked onto by an electromagnetic gun carried by a drone.
The eerie barrel aimed at her, flickering with a faint blue arc.
Ready to fire at any moment.
Under this threat of death.
The woman's expression slowly stiffened, no longer displaying her previous assertiveness.
A few seconds later.
A humanoid robot appeared and escorted the immobilized woman away through a special passage.
Inside the hall.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of people still waiting in line for security checks watched the scene in silence.
Only after their figures had completely disappeared did they begin to buzz with discussion.
Someone nearby tried to inquire with the security officer.
"Who knows what will happen to her—"
The security officer was also curious and puzzled.
But he was just an ordinary person temporarily assigned to this job by Artificial Intelligence, knowing no more than anyone else.
However, before he could finish speaking.
He suddenly noticed in the corner of his eye.
That on the computer he was working on, a relevant piece of information had indeed appeared.
The woman who was taken away saw her ranking number jump from within the top million to beyond 38 million in an instant.
This change in number meant that the woman would have to wait until everyone in Jianghe City had boarded before it would be her turn again.
"It seems the punishment isn't too severe."
"Just that she might have to wait more than ten hours before she can take the subway to leave."
An hour and a half after the subsea passage opened.
The first batch of mid-to-high-level officials from Jianghe City and their families, having traversed over a hundred kilometers underwater, arrived at the coastal shelter on the edge of the land.
They stayed here briefly for more than ten minutes.
Soon, they were diverted again.
People like Ping Yuhan, who were originally big shots in Jianghe City.
Their status and positions granted them one last special privilege.
They could board the Twin-Winged Helicopter, which had just finished unloading and was preparing to return.
Flying directly to Jianghe City, they would stay in the luxurious apartments already arranged for them.
The rest of the people would pass through the modified land stations.
Boarding the merchant trains that had been waiting there, heading to other nearby Subsidiary Shelters.
They would stay there.
For at least a day or two.
Then, they waited for the merchant convoy train to transport the entire population of Zhenhai City to the Subsidiary Shelter closer to Jianghe City, where they would settle down before gradually moving to Jianghe City.
During this waiting period, there were certain risks involved.
The temporarily activated abandoned shelter.
Its protective conditions in all aspects were, after all, not comparable to the normal shelters that had been continuously inhabited.
Facing the extreme cold climate on land and the Amethyst Crystal Entities that roamed the surroundings like wolves, it was hard to guarantee that no accidents would occur.
Moreover, since they were quite close to the sea.
There was also a significant probability that they could be affected by earthquakes in the ocean and the residual effects of branch cyclones.
"This is the inland area."
"It looks really cold."
In a crowded snow transport vehicle, Ping Lei pressed against the window, curiously observing the environment outside.
The intermittent snowfall and white fog made it difficult for him to see clearly beyond twenty or thirty meters.
He could only vaguely sense the continuous cold that hovered over the land outside the vehicle.
However, he did not feel any fear or similar negative emotions.
The crowded people inside the vehicle gave him a great sense of security.
He felt as if he was on a tour with a travel group.
And later, the frequent appearance of steel structures in his field of vision, such as merchant convoys identical to the train he was on, and various robots that were either huge or flexible and astonishing in number, greatly piqued his interest.
He couldn't help but take out his phone and record every scene he encountered along the way.
He shared them on the internet.
And soon, even he, the uploader, did not expect.
The videos he shot.
Almost instantly became a sensation across the entire internet, gathering massive popularity.
At the same time, they also attracted many desperate cries for help in the comments.
East of the coastline, below sea level, there were not only shelters from Zhenhai City.
But also many shelters from private enterprises and individuals that had survived.
Usually, they had almost no presence.
But now, seeing that even a powerful supercity like Zhenhai City was forced to flee entirely, their panic was inevitably ignited.
They all wanted to escape this increasingly dangerous area.
But unlike Zhenhai City, which had the undersea passage specially built by Su Wu for them, these small and medium-sized shelters had no way out.
The violent storms ravaging the surface and the thick ice layers became cages that firmly held them in place.
They could only slowly wait for the disaster to approach.
The only thing they could do was to desperately leave messages online.
Hoping to catch Su Wu's attention and bring them a chance to change their fate.
Their struggles were not in vain.
After an interval of more than an hour.
The related messages finally successfully reached Su Wu.
Making him aware of the existence of this group of people.
After a few seconds of thought.
Su Wu decided to dispatch five merchant convoy trains to enter the ocean through the ice layer.
To rescue these undersea survivors who had almost no presence before.
Compared to Zhenhai City.
These private shelters were closer to the shore.
Although the external environment was still far from ideal, it was no longer the central area of the branching cyclones. It was barely passable for the massive convoy trains to travel safely. For Su Wu, the number of five convoy trains was not significant and would not affect the overall evacuation plan of Zhenhai City.
"While we're still within the safe window, let's save as many as we can."
With that thought, Su Wu shifted his focus back to the Linhai Shelter. At present, the Linhai Shelter had gathered almost all the forces Su Wu could mobilize. A total of 330 convoy trains, along with 8,000 snow transport vehicles that lacked the Icebound-class Land Battleship as their core and thus had to operate independently, formed a steel wall stretching over 300 kilometers. It coiled around the Linhai Shelter like a supercity constructed entirely of steel, its vast scale enough to awe anyone who could glimpse its full extent.
In addition to the vehicles, there were also 700,000 Spider Robots, along with an even larger number of other auxiliary robots and Combat Drone Swarms. This assembly represented nearly all the armed forces Su Wu could deploy. The unprecedented size of this mechanical army brought with it an equally unprecedented level of combat strength, allowing Su Wu's will to shine like the sun, illuminating every corner around the Linhai Shelter.
Even the Amethyst Crystal Entities, which had been trailing Su Wu's movements like a persistent shadow, dared not approach or test the defenses at this point.
"Unconsciously, I've grown this powerful."
After conducting a brief yet special inspection on the holographic map, Su Wu turned his attention to the center of the temporary supercity formed by the convoy trains. There stood three distinct armed fortresses—one large and two small. These were the newly completed Doomsday-Class Land Cruiser and two Pioneer-class Land Destroyers, the core of Su Wu's forces at the Linhai Shelter.
With these fortresses in place, even if the Amethyst Crystal Entities were to mobilize their entire population, including those from other continents across thousands of miles, they might not pose a significant threat. In fact, it might even be possible to turn the tables and eliminate them entirely.
"Unfortunately, if only earthquakes and storms could be as easily defeated as the Amethyst Crystal Entities."
With a slight shake of his head, Su Wu turned his gaze back to Zhenhai City. In the deep sea region 150 kilometers east of Zhenhai City, the once-frozen sea surface was now covered in a dense network of cracks resembling a spider's web. From time to time, large bubbles rose from the depths of the sea, escaping through these massive cracks and releasing into the surface air. This was a sign that volcanic activity in the seabed of that area had reached an intense level.
Based on the intensity of this geological activity, if it were to fully replicate at the Zhenhai City Shelter, the entire shelter would last no more than 45 minutes before being completely destroyed. As for the humans still trapped inside, most might not even survive the initial earthquakes and the intense heat and toxic gases, with a significant portion perishing before the shelter's collapse.
"The situation isn't good. If this continues..."
"Perhaps I can only secure a minimum income after all."
Thinking of the nearly 30 million people still stranded in Zhenhai City's shelters.
And the billions of tons of supplies.
A strong sense of frustration welled up in Su Wu's heart.
If he could completely consume those resources.
He didn't even dare to imagine how quickly he could develop.
But unfortunately.
Even though he had already mastered what could be considered the most advanced military force among humans.
He still had no way to delay the outbreak of natural disasters.
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