The next day, the temperature outside continued to climb.
By noon, it had reached around 55 degrees Celsius.
Through his drone reconnaissance, Su Wu observed that nearly all wild plants and crops in Jianghe City and the surrounding areas had withered. A large-scale reduction in surface grain production, or even a total crop failure, was now unavoidable.
"The environment outside is looking worse and worse."
"Thankfully, it seems most people have managed to get into the shelters. There shouldn't be any major issues for now."
In the Doomsday Chat Group, Su Wu shared the drone-captured images.
The desolate urban landscape and dead farmland stirred up a wave of discussion.
"It's the same here. Pretty much everyone has moved into a shelter."
"But the official shelters have really strict rules. You can't bring too much stuff, and the living spaces are cramped. Eight people in a room—it's even smaller than my old college dorm."
"There's literally nothing to do except play on our phones all day."
This complaint came from an ordinary survivor who had entered an official shelter.
His personal safety wasn't in question, but his quality of life had plummeted.
Most of his possessions had been left behind, except for a handful of valuables. If Su Wu hadn't obtained the Doomsday Survival System, his situation likely wouldn't have been much different.
"I have it better than you. I managed to sneak into a small corporate shelter."
"I have my own private bedroom."
"I could bring whatever I could carry."
"But everything here costs money. Water and electricity bills are ridiculously high. My salary isn't enough, so I have to barter for other necessities."
"I don't know how long I can last."
This was from a white-collar worker hiding in a private corporate shelter.
From the few photos he uploaded, it was clear his living conditions were far superior—he had a washing machine, a refrigerator, and even a television.
But corporate shelters were for-profit enterprises. Unlike government-run shelters, which provided at least a basic level of support, corporate shelters charged for everything.
Higher living standards came at a price—one that not everyone could afford indefinitely.
Security was another issue.
Unlike the official shelters, where strict military oversight provided stability, corporate shelters lacked a unified chain of command. If a group of troublemakers took over, those inside might not even be able to protect themselves.
"Boss, your drone is really high-quality."
"I sent out three drones today—every single one broke down. Total signal loss."
Compared to the complaints of ordinary people, many were far more interested in Su Wu's drone footage.
Maintaining a direct connection to the outside world at this stage meant only one thing—he was wealthy and well-prepared.
Of course, the person speaking so casually wasn't just anyone either.
Even if an average person had a drone, they wouldn't have the clearance to launch it outside a shelter.
Anyone who could must have some level of authority.
"You need drones with better heat dissipation if you want them to last outside."
This last comment caught Su Wu's attention.
Clearly, the high temperatures outside were starting to impact electronic equipment.
He replied offhandedly, then turned to check the three-dimensional map of his shelter.
Sure enough, the engineering robots excavating the third underground floor were showing various levels of wear and tear.
The micro-transport vehicles that frequently operated outside were already showing signs of wear, with some precision components beginning to overheat and malfunction.
The extreme heat was clearly taking a toll on automated mechanical equipment.
"It looks like the engineering team's vehicles will need a new cooling system," Su Wu thought. "And the geothermal generator on the surface has to be relocated underground. If the temperature keeps rising, it's only a matter of time before something goes wrong."
The situation was becoming increasingly problematic, and he needed to find a solution.
Installing a cooling system wasn't particularly difficult. The primary artificial intelligence had already downloaded a complete set of design blueprints from the Internet, and the engineering robot could handle the modifications efficiently.
The real challenge lay in the increased energy consumption. The micro-transport vehicles' batteries would require frequent recharging, especially during extended downtime.
"If I want to solve this issue," Su Wu reasoned, "I can use the wireless charging function of the high-energy battery pack. Adding a power-receiving device to each piece of the engineering team's equipment should do the trick."
After considering the problem carefully, he found a viable solution.
Wireless charging technology in this world was already highly advanced. While it didn't match the extreme 100-meter transmission radius of the high-energy battery pack upgraded with survival points, the fundamental principles were the same. Implementing a simple power-receiving terminal was entirely feasible.
With the engineering team's issue resolved and no other immediate concerns, Su Wu turned his attention to the shelter's three-dimensional map, intending to check for any design flaws while he had the time.
A survival-focused shelter relied on three fundamental necessities: water, air, and safety.
For water, the shelter had an efficient system in place, covering sourcing, filtration, purification, storage, and distribution.
However, supply alone wasn't enough. A comprehensive drainage and sewage treatment system was also essential. It required an independent drainage network and multiple specialized treatment pools to handle different types of waste—domestic wastewater, industrial byproducts, and potential laboratory contaminants.
Additionally, electronic monitoring equipment needed to be installed at every stage, from intake to discharge, to regularly scan for pollutants, ensuring that no unknown viruses or radioactive substances could bypass the filtration systems and infiltrate the shelter.
As for air, the shelter was already equipped with upgraded air purifiers, which, in theory, should be sufficient.
However, air purifiers were passive devices installed at ventilation points, meaning there would always be a slight delay in response. If an unexpected breach occurred—such as a crack in the shelter's outer wall—contaminants could flood in before the system had time to react, potentially causing irreversible damage.
To prevent such disasters, an early warning system was needed. This would allow for real-time monitoring of air quality and immediately isolate affected areas if abnormalities were detected.
With water and air safety accounted for, the remaining major threat to the shelter was fire.
This, however, was relatively easy to manage. Both fire detection and automatic suppression systems were well-documented in the AI's database, and implementing them wouldn't even require additional survival points.