After delivering the three mini excavators, Su Wu successfully obtained the key to a warehouse containing 260 tons of scrap iron and 4 tons of pre-processed steel plates.
It was at this moment that he realized he had encountered a major problem.
The medium-sized truck he was driving had a maximum load capacity of nearly 10 tons. However, because the scrap iron consisted of irregularly shaped waste materials, even if he filled the truck bed to capacity, he could only transport about five tons at a time.
This meant that his transportation efficiency was effectively cut in half.
If he wanted to move all the steel from the warehouse back to his shelter, he would need to make at least fifty or sixty trips. Factoring in the time spent loading and unloading, it was likely he wouldn't be able to complete the task before the world as he knew it came to an end.
Feeling helpless, Su Wu turned his attention to another upgradeable sub-option for the medium-sized truck: electronic information.
This function was a comprehensive upgrade, integrating features such as autonomous driving, remote communication, and terrain radar scanning.
The modification required three survival points.
Once completed, Su Wu would be able to control the truck remotely via his laptop and primary artificial intelligence, allowing it to drive autonomously between the warehouse and his shelter.
Upon arrival at the warehouse, the truck would also serve as a communication relay, enabling him to remotely command the construction robot to load the scrap metal—effectively automating the entire transportation process.
Wanting to avoid the hassle of personally handling the transportation, Su Wu made his decision without much hesitation. He upgraded the medium-sized truck's electronic information system.
To minimize any potential trouble caused by an obviously driverless vehicle on the road, he also applied a one-way reflective film to the truck's windows, concealing the fact that no one was actually inside.
It wasn't exactly legal, but given the circumstances, he doubted anyone had the time to enforce minor regulations.
With that, the newly automated truck blended into the stream of busy freight vehicles on the streets. Day and night, it traveled back and forth between Su Wu's farmyard and the steel plant, gradually transferring the massive stockpile of scrap iron to his base.
In the following days, aside from the coastal cities that had been unexpectedly hit by tsunamis and suffered heavy losses, nothing particularly significant happened.
Su Wu remained in his compound, passing the time by reading the news, chatting in forums and group chats, and playing games. His days were surprisingly relaxed.
If not for the occasional reminder of doomsday-related news, he might have even fooled himself into believing he had returned to the peaceful days of the past.
One notable change was that, after his transaction with the steel plant, Su Wu had proven his capabilities and was promoted to an administrator role in the doomsday chat group. He was also invited into a private group called the Jianghe City Doomsday Survival Preparation Group.
This small group of around twenty members consisted exclusively of individuals or corporate entities that controlled private shelters in Jianghe City and its surrounding areas.
The group had been created to facilitate trade and exchange crucial survival information among local small- and medium-sized shelter owners.
Through this special chat group, Su Wu gradually gained access to information that ordinary people had no way of knowing.