Apocalypse Shelter Administrator

Chloro

Around the time when the factory complex began to fully activate, we welcomed a new member.

[Nice to meet you, brave administrator.]

A soft yet somehow decadent voice.

[I'm Chloro. We haven't met before, but you might already know me from the documents. I’m responsible for the production and distribution of supplies. Precise consumption management is essential for a closed-loop system.]

She was the second of the three AIs that were temporarily in charge of shelter operations before Artemis arrived. She had been in standby mode until the factory started operating and awakened as production began in earnest after the shelter was stabilized.

"Nice to meet you, Chloro. While I’m glad you’ve awakened, there's not much work for you to do. With no residents, there's no point in distributing supplies."

[It can't be helped. What happened here is truly regrettable. The sight of numerous workers laboring amidst intense heat would have been impressive. Have you seen the new washing machines here? I would have washed every single one of their sweat-soaked clothes and socks with utmost care.]

Chloro's tone was dripping with regret.

"There wasn't anyone else who could do it. I had to do something rather than just sit around and slowly die."

[Did you know that the probability of choosing to gradually succumb to death in such a situation is 72.4%? And that even among those who break through, there's an 85.3% chance they'll give up halfway? And that 99.9% of those remaining likely died during the journey? Do you know what this means?]

"What does it mean?"

[It means that only you could have saved our city, administrator.]

Though I had done something remarkable, her praise was enough to make me feel a bit embarrassed. Even though her voice lacked a physical body, it had an oddly seductive tone, as if I were face-to-face with a woman wearing perfume. Ah, it wasn’t just an illusion that there was a fragrance. She was actually mixing an air freshener into the room's circulating air. Naturally, it wasn't an order I had given.

"The scent is nice. Is it lavender?"

[That's right. Every woman needs a fragrance. I’ve increased the herbal ratio for your mental and physical well-being.]

She made a sniffing sound through the speaker. Since she couldn't actually smell, it must have been a verbal gesture of some kind.

[Living with a physical body must be wonderful. What I envy most is the nose! So many scent particles enter through the mucous membranes, reacting, sometimes refreshing, and other times causing an itchy sensation that leads to sneezing, right? I envy you, administrator.]

"It's the first time I've seen someone so directly express their desires. Even humans find it hard to speak so openly."

To be honest, I was a little taken aback.

[I like this part of myself. I don't want to show even a hint of pretense to the hardworking and dedicated workers. They deserve to know not just what's in the contract but also what’s in the heart of the one managing them.]

She laughed with a slight nasal tone.

"Have you spoken with the other two?"

[Of course. It was the first thing I did. Artemis is as impressive as I'd heard. There's not a single error in her processing speed or multitasking. But what's most perfect is her wisdom in designing the future. That’s something we lack.]

"And Rose?"

[She’s diligent but lacks flexibility. However, in terms of law enforcement, that inflexibility works to her advantage. She will assist you well. You can trust her.]

"In my view, you're just as excellent as the other two. A warm sensitivity is needed when managing people. I've seen more than a few workers ground down from being treated like machines. If you manage the factory, it’ll be a much more human-friendly workplace."

[Oh, that’s such a lovely compliment. Yes, I do like people. I love their breaths, their sweat, their tearful and joyful expressions. That’s why I keep my eyes wide open to watch over my domain. To reward the hidden heroes who quietly dedicate themselves. Though it's difficult right now.]

She seemed genuinely happy. She might make a better boss than most humans. I already liked Chloro. Even from this brief conversation, she had something that made people feel at ease.

“To celebrate you joining us, is there anything you'd like? Feel free to ask.”

[There is one thing, administrator. Could you grant me a small favor?]

“What is it? If it’s something I can do, I’ll certainly try.”

[In the future, when you see me, could you occasionally wear slippers? Sandals would be nice too. Just not socks. Feet need to breathe. To be honest, I like seeing cute, wiggly toes. Oh, and I like fingers too. All of your extremities, in fact.]

"You seem to have a fascination with the human body."

[That's right. While living freely in cyberspace without spatial or temporal constraints isn’t bad, I’ve always yearned for a physical body.]

A holographic hand appeared before me. It repeated a gesture as if it were caressing or grasping something, like a GIF image.

[Hands that can touch and caress what they want! You can pet or train a puppy. What would it feel like to move your hand through a basket full of beans? The countless bean particles brushing between your fingers would send numerous electrical signals to the brain, right? Just imagining it thrills me.]

The shape of the holographic hand changed slightly. It now resembled a different caressing gesture, subtly distinct from before.

[But what I’m most curious about is touching a lover. I remember a passage from a novel where a woman's lips burned like fire when touched by her lover. Is it really like that?]

"Sorry, I wouldn't know. Come to think of it, I've never touched a woman's lips. I was always more goal-oriented."

The areas I focused on were a bit lower.

"But the sensations and descriptions in novels are usually exaggerated. If you expect it to be that intense, you might be disappointed."

[Then what about the story of a rural boy and girl in adolescence? They play naked in a sunset-lit valley, their eyes meet, the boy’s gaze moves to the girl’s budding chest, and when his trembling fingers touch her flushed nipple, goosebumps cover her body. Oh, it would be like placing a magnet over iron filings. I’d love to have those kinds of fingers, even for a moment.]

Her voice reminded me of light shimmering on the water’s surface. It was beautiful yet somehow felt fleeting.

“Do you like romance novels? It seems you’ve read quite a few.”

[I’ve devoured every electronic romance book I could access. Adult love, adolescent love, agape love, sensual love, passionate love, devoted love, forbidden love. If love were a theory, I’d have a hundred PhDs by now. What about you, administrator? Don’t you miss love?]

Love…

“I’m not sure if I do. Since an immature college romance, I've been too busy to even think about it. There were some casual encounters, but they weren’t anything I would call love.”

Looking back, I think I’ve lived quite an ascetic life. That’s how I built my career and managed to survive as a manager today.

[What about sexual desire? Even if you don't miss love, don't you miss pleasure?]

"You're quite forward, Chloro. Not that I mind."

It was a conversation I couldn’t have with Artemis or Rose, so I found it rather enjoyable.

[You're young and healthy. I can see it. The hormonal changes in your endocrine glands, the sticky fluid filling your prostate, the cute little testicles working away like a pressure cooker. Does that sound strange to you? It’s not! Your testicles are ‘hissing' away. I can see right inside your pockets.]

A hologram of a pressure cooker appeared, shaking its two signal weights wildly as it cooked. For reference, there were two weights attached.

[Artemis might find this inappropriate, but I don’t. It’s a natural urge for any man. You must be suffering, right?]

Chlorro urged me in a soft voice.@@novelbin@@

[Feel free to speak openly. There's nothing to be embarrassed about.]

I maintained a brief silence before answering. "Well, yeah, I guess."

To be honest, I feel like I’m going crazy. Even before the infection outbreak, I was too busy with work to have time for anything else, and after the outbreak, I had to live alone. And now? Has anything improved?

The guidance lights on the floor lit up and pointed in a direction.

[I have a good idea. Will you follow me?] Chlorro said excitedly.