After a quick inspection, Su Wu carefully installed the three upgraded robotic arms onto a robot leaning against the corner.
The so-called "robot" had no head—only a torso and legs crudely assembled from metal brackets and steel doors.
Calling it a robot was generous. In reality, it was just a rough prototype.
Once the three heavy robotic arms were attached, the entire structure wobbled slightly, as if a gentle poke could knock it over.
"Good enough."
Su Wu was actually quite satisfied that the robot hadn't collapsed outright. Given his budget constraints and the current market scarcity, this was the best he could manage. He had painstakingly assembled it by hand over the past few days, so expecting high quality was out of the question.
[Inferior Engineering Robot Prototype]
[Compatibility: 40%]
[Evaluation: A non-functional model. Despite having a qualified robotic arm, it is incapable of performing any engineering tasks.]
[Upgrade Option: General Light Engineering Robot (15 Survival Points)]
A 40% compatibility rating was still far from ideal.
But compared to before—when it had been a mere 1%—it was already a massive improvement. Installing the upgraded robotic arms had increased compatibility by 40 times and dramatically reduced the survival points needed for an upgrade.
Initially, the system had required an unattainable three-digit sum of survival points. Now, it only demanded 15. That alone proved Su Wu's decision to upgrade the robotic arms first had been the right call.
However, 15 survival points were still too steep.
Focusing on the compatibility percentage, Su Wu willed more details to appear on the system panel.
A new prompt surfaced, indicating that the model was still lacking 100 kilograms of raw materials.
That was easy to fix.
With a budget of several million, Su Wu had spent the past half-month scavenging materials from various recycling stations. If there was one thing he had in abundance, it was scrap metal.
He stepped outside and rummaged through the piles in his yard. After some picking and choosing, he dragged a cart filled with scrap steel bars, wires, and a few electronic boards next to the robot.
The compatibility rating immediately jumped to 55%, reducing the survival point requirement by 3 points.
This was likely the best he could optimize with his current resources. Without hesitation, Su Wu initiated the upgrade.
A brilliant light flashed.
The crude materials and makeshift model vanished.
In their place stood a fully formed two-meter-tall engineering robot, its silver-white metallic frame gleaming under the light. Its three robotic arms, now sleek and precise, radiated an undeniable aura of technological sophistication.
Su Wu tested it immediately.
"Produce an M3 model screw using available materials."
The engineering robot beeped in response.
The high-frequency oscillating cutter on its mechanical arm sliced off a small piece of discarded angle iron.
The universal manipulator hand then lifted the scrap iron into the air using magnetic force.
Finally, the high-energy smelting laser emitter focused a deep red beam onto the metal, carefully refining and shaping it.
Ten seconds later, a perfectly standard screw took shape.
Watching the smooth operation, Su Wu nodded in satisfaction.
The robot's efficiency and material quality were secondary concerns. What mattered was that it could now manufacture most industrial parts, handle welding and assembly, and effectively replace a machine tool and assembly workshop in one unit.
"This will make my life so much easier."
Just days ago, Su Wu had painstakingly assembled the prototype by hand. The memory still made his fingers ache. As someone with little aptitude for craftsmanship, even putting together a simple model had been a nightmare.
He never wanted to go through that again.
With the engineering robot successfully operational, Su Wu excitedly opened his laptop.
Pulling up a design blueprint for a drilling rig and geothermal generator, he transferred the files to the robot and assigned it a new task.
Step one of shelter construction had officially begun.
Power First—Because Survival Depends on It
A stable and independent power source was the top priority.
Relying on the federal government's power grid was not an option.
Half a month ago, the authorities had imposed strict electricity rationing:
Residential power was now limited, with monthly quotas barely enough to run an air conditioner.
Commercial electricity was available, but prices had skyrocketed tenfold, and obtaining approval was nearly impossible under Su Wu's current status.
That meant generating his own power was the only choice.
Diesel generators were the cheapest option—but diesel and gasoline were now controlled substances.
Even fuel for personal vehicles was rationed, limited to two refuels per month per driver. It was barely enough for transportation, let alone running a generator.
Wind, hydro, and solar power were either too expensive or too unreliable for a post-apocalyptic environment.
After careful consideration, geothermal energy emerged as the best choice.
However, with materials under strict regulation, buying a geothermal generator was out of the question.
Drilling machines were still available—but their prices had surged hundreds of times beyond normal. Even if Su Wu liquidated all his remaining assets, he wouldn't have enough for even a fraction of the cost.
That left only one realistic option:
Build it himself.
This was why he had spent weeks gathering scrap and upgrading his tools. Without a fully functional engineering robot, attempting to construct high-end machinery would have been impossible.
Now, things were different.
The robot had the tools.
It had the processing power.
It could handle machine work and assembly without human intervention.
Su Wu uploaded the drilling rig and geothermal generator blueprints to the robot's task queue.
A status bar appeared on his laptop screen, showing real-time progress as the robot moved outside and began cutting materials.
Su Wu leaned back in his chair.
For the first time since he learned from the Doomsday Survival System that the world was on the brink of collapse…
He finally felt relief.
For the past half-month, every second had been a race against time—
Finding a shelter location.
Gathering resources.
Securing government permits.
Bracing for disaster.
He had been constantly on edge, terrified that a single misstep would cost him everything.
But now—
With an engineering robot tirelessly working even while he slept…
With a clear path forward to real self-sufficiency…
The overwhelming urgency that had gripped him for weeks finally began to fade.