While the gains from the rescue operations were immense, the challenges that followed were equally daunting.
A sudden increase in population by more than half brought with it soaring demands for water, electricity, food, and living space.
For large shelters like Jingyuan and Zhou Xiwu, accommodating the new arrivals for a few days was manageable. However, extending their stay would inevitably lead to severe issues, potentially pushing the entire system toward collapse.
Analyzing the maps of both shelters, Su Wu noticed that to temporarily house the influx of people, every available space had been utilized. Areas originally reserved for livestock farming and hydroponic zones had been repurposed as makeshift living quarters. Even the already completed sections of the hydroponic farms had been partially dismantled.
In total, these temporary accommodations consumed about 25 standard units of space, roughly equivalent to the area of 25 aircraft carriers.
"Let's start by building a batch of dormitories to free up some space," Su Wu decided.
Space was an exceptionally valuable resource in underground shelters. Every square meter was contested between living quarters, farming zones, industrial production, and storage facilities. Expanding these spaces was a monumental task, evident from Su Wu's own farmhouse shelter, which had been under continuous excavation since before the apocalypse and still remained small in scale.
For Su Wu to increase food production and sustain the new population, he first needed to reclaim the space they occupied. Without this, expanding farming zones would be impossible.
Constructing dormitories emerged as the most space-efficient solution.
A standard dormitory, occupying just 75 cubic meters, could house eight people long-term. Including hallways and necessary amenities, each standard unit could accommodate up to 5,000 people.
Four to five standard units could thus house the entire influx of over 20,000 survivors.
However, such an arrangement, while meeting basic survival needs, would severely strain the residents' mental health. Prolonged confinement would likely lead to escalating violence and crime.
The optimal solution was to allocate additional communal spaces for recreation and stress relief.
This, however, would increase the required space to roughly eight standard units, leaving Su Wu with less room for farming.
"Stability is more important," Su Wu concluded. "If farming space isn't enough, I can prioritize high-yield crops to ensure everyone has enough to eat."
The meat chicken farms would be scaled down by 80%, with the freed space repurposed for growing mushrooms, worms, and other high-yield, low-cost foods.
For now, the focus was on preventing starvation; taste and variety would have to wait.
Beyond food and living space, water and electricity were also pressing concerns. Su Wu needed to construct additional water treatment plants and power stations, and the sewage systems required significant upgrades to handle the increased load.
Lastly, there was the matter of employment. Su Wu had no intention of idly supporting over 20,000 people, as idle hands were a breeding ground for trouble.
"This is a headache," Su Wu muttered, rubbing his temples.
Although tedious and repetitive, these arrangements were critical. A single misstep could lead to catastrophic consequences.
Fortunately, this was a one-time challenge. Once the initial plans were in place, the AI could handle the execution, with any discrepancies addressed through a jury and appeal system, much like before.
By 8 PM, Su Wu had finally completed arrangements for the new arrivals.
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With some time to spare, Su Wu turned his attention back to his core operations.
At the farmhouse shelter, the ninth and final underground level had been expanded to over 1,000 square meters.
Originally planned as a storage level for metals, water, and other resources, Su Wu realized this purpose had become obsolete with the rapid expansion of his territory. With a population of 600,000 across multiple shelters, the scale of his affiliates far exceeded the farmhouse's capacity.
"A core facility deserves a core purpose," Su Wu mused. "Let's use the ninth level to build a professional thermal power station."
A professional thermal power station would significantly increase coal-to-energy conversion efficiency.
While standard thermal generators—like those used in Qingning, Zhou Xiwu, and Jingyuan shelters—produced 3,000 kilowatt-hours per ton of coal, a professional power station could generate 4,000 kilowatt-hours, an efficiency boost of about 30%.
Apart from the official No. 1 Shelter, no other location in Jianghe City had such an advanced facility.
Even Su Wu had only recently acquired the technical blueprints by bribing an official shelter's engineer through his trade network.
"With a professional power station, I can gradually phase out the smaller generators in other shelters and use electric transport vehicles to distribute power from here," Su Wu thought.
The efficiency gap rendered traditional generators obsolete. Instead of building multiple stations, a centralized facility at the far
mhouse would be the most cost-effective solution.
(End of Chapter)