Apocalypse Shelter Administrator

Choice

In horror movies, there's often a scene where someone enters an empty department store late at night. One of the elements that heightens the sense of fear in these scenes is the presence of mannequins. When you're left alone in the dark, passing through them can create an uneasy feeling. But the scene in front of me now was much more intense than that.

The first reason was that the dolls lined up here looked far more human than any mannequins could. The second reason was that many of them were wearing scarves or masks on their faces. This added a layer of eeriness. At first, I could only marvel at the beautiful appearance of the dolls, thinking "That's impressive," but once I stepped into the middle of them, a sense of unease crept up on me.@@novelbin@@

"Turn on the lights! This is actually kind of scary."

The ceiling lights turned on immediately.

"That's better."

[I didn’t notice, sorry about that.] Chloro apologized.

"It's fine. I was just a little startled. It's a different kind of discomfort than running away from infected creatures in the dark."

I had goosebumps on my arms, but soon I was back to admiring the dazzling appearance of the dolls in front of me.

[These are dolls that have never been touched by human hands. If the dust bothers you, should I order them to dust themselves off?]

I imagined the sight of these beautiful dolls all simultaneously shaking off the dust at my command. It would be a curious and erotic scene, not just a simple order from a human to machines that obey.

"No, it’s fine. Except for the one I’m taking with me, there’s no need to mess with the rest. The dust will just settle again anyway."

I touched the face of the doll in front of me. A mask like one a dancer would wear covered her face from the nose down. This was a characteristic feature of first-generation dolls. Whether it was a mask, a scarf, or a veil, over half of their faces were always covered. Their limbs were also wrapped in sleeves or stockings, leaving only a few parts of their bodies exposed.

[Do you have a preference for first-generation dolls?]

"Half yes, half no."

As the initial models, they inevitably lacked certain functions, like the feel of the skin, flexibility, or weight that closely matched a real woman. In fact, the early to mid-stage first-generation models were only capable of limited positions and vaginal intercourse. It wasn’t until the late first-generation models that things like oral and more human-like sexual interactions became possible. The supervisor had just such a late-model doll.

"They may lack in performance, but they're always interesting to look at."

Though some might consider first-generation models outdated, in some ways, they were the most fashionable. The technical challenges faced during their development were eventually solved over time.

The skeletal structure or programming issues could be resolved with enough manpower, and while power sources were difficult, they were manageable. If all else failed, cables could be attached to their backs.

Consumers were surprisingly lenient about such things. However, the problem of the skin was harder to solve. The first issue was finding the right material. This was tied to the invention of new materials, so it couldn’t just be solved with manpower alone.

During the first generation, the best material available for skin was silicone, but its distinct smell and texture couldn’t be avoided. No matter how well it was sculpted, it couldn’t replicate real skin, often creating an "uncanny valley" effect.

The second issue was durability. Not everyone treated the dolls gently, and even with careful use, wear and tear were inevitable. Constantly replacing them would be prohibitively expensive. The solution the manufacturers came up with was a compromise. They abandoned silicone and used a durable but hard plastic material for most of the body, only covering select areas that didn’t take much impact with high-grade silicone.

This could have given the dolls a feeling more like moving plastic mannequins, but they overcame this through "fashion." The areas under the nose, where there was frequent movement due to talking or sexual activity, were made of reinforced material and covered with scarves or masks.

Their arms and legs were wrapped in stockings or sleeves, and scarves were placed around their necks. Through the stockings, you could see their toenails painted with pedicures, and their hands were covered with mesh gloves, giving them a somewhat human-like appearance while maintaining a heavily covered look.

This technique of hiding their artificial features while amplifying their sensuality became known as a prime example of the "aesthetics of concealment." The average skin exposure for a first-generation doll was less than 10%, and there were all kinds of variations in concept outfits to achieve this.

As a result, despite being early models, demand for them remained high due to their aesthetic appeal and affordability. Some wealthy collectors even gathered large numbers of them for display in their mansions. One performance artist, sponsored by a company, once had dozens of first-generation dolls perform specific movements in a parade, which caused a significant clash with women’s organizations.

"Businesswomen, soldiers, female doctors, secretaries, Arabian dancers, medieval nobles, gothic… there’s no shortage of variety."

Most of the outfits were either formal or casual wear, but there were quite a few unique costumes as well.

[I doubt they were brought here for actual use.]

"VIPs probably just wanted to decorate their surroundings with them.”

No matter how good they look, they're still early models. Because their functionality is inferior, the truly wealthy don’t use them for intimate purposes. Of course, since their price still reaches millions, not only are they popular with well-off people from the middle class, but most ‘doll shops' also use first-generation models. They're like the T-34 of the sexbot world.

"But my interest lies here." I stood in front of a second-generation doll.

This model was introduced alongside the development of new materials that surpassed silicone. This one has a lot of skin exposed. It has to—there's no longer any need to cover it up.

"She really looks human." I ran my hand over her white cheek, then over her nose, and down to her lips. The skin felt softer and more vibrant than any human woman I'd ever touched.

"Not warm, though."

[Shall I turn on the power?]

"No, it's pretty, but it’s not my type." My fingers parted her soft lips and touched her perfectly aligned teeth.

"Clean."

[Are you referring to her skin? Of course, there’s not a single blemish.]

"I wasn’t talking about the skin. I meant her teeth."

The doll's teeth were straight and pure white. It brought back memories of my past deployments overseas. There wasn’t any combat, but after getting roughed up in a risky area for a while, I followed my senior officers to a brothel. The girl who knelt before me and buried her face between my legs didn’t seem more than her early twenties.

I remember patting her head, and she looked up at me with a smile, but I nearly lost my erection at that sight. Her teeth, visible through her saliva-covered lips, were decaying badly. Crooked, and poorly maintained. Even the women I met back in Korea didn’t have rotten teeth, but almost all of them had at least one or two silver or gold fillings. Or crooked teeth.

But this doll in front of me was perfect. Soft, rosy lips, straight and clean teeth, and even her tongue moved fluidly, without any wet or unpleasant odors. Just touching her like this was enough to excite me, and I could feel myself slowly getting aroused.

[It seems you’ve been holding it in for a long time. Poor thing.] Chloro commented, observing my condition in real time.

"Yeah, I've held back for a long time."

The doll’s tongue was soft. How could something so dry feel this smooth? I slowly pulled her tongue out with my hand.

A human tongue is long, up to around 30 cm, but you can only pull it out so far by yourself—barely past the lips. But dolls are different.

"It’s long."

It had already extended enough to reach her chin.

[The tongue of this model is 42 cm long.]

"That long?"

[Yes, that's the average length. There are even longer models. A long tongue is necessary for certain services, after all.] Chlorro added with a somewhat suggestive tone.

I sniffed the extended tongue. No odor at all.

[The models here don’t have any fluids injected yet. Pre-injection is not good for long-term storage.]

"How long would it take to inject them?"

This referred not only to saliva but to several other bodily fluids as well.

[One minute. Second-generation dolls are built with great convenience.]

"Hmm.”

As I fiddled with the cute pink tongue, I wondered, what would it feel like if it wrapped around my thing like a snake? When I let go, the tongue slowly curled back inside, and the sight was a bit amusing.

[The only dolls ready to operate are the ones here. Why not choose one soon?] Chloro's voice sounded heated.

“I agree. I just found one I really like.” I stood in front of a doll.

She had brown hair, blue eyes, long eyelashes, and strikingly white skin, resembling a Northern European beauty. She had the youthful innocence of a girl who had just reached adulthood, paired with the mature allure of a woman. A beauty caught between two stages of life. Instead of fitting into a bustling city, she would look more at home wandering through a valley while holding a basket filled with flowers and fruit.

Before me stood a fairy.

[Oh, that one is truly lovely.]

"Isn't she? Want to take a look?" I asked playfully.

[It’s not about looking—it’s about experiencing.]

"What?"

[Did you know that none of the dolls here have their software installed yet?]

"What? Then they’re just big mannequins, aren’t they? Is that why they’ve been kept here instead of up above?"

No software? Then they’re essentially just lifeless figures.

[Come now, what are you saying? You already have me—loyal and exceptional. I’m armed with a dedication to service and technique far beyond any human-made software.]

The doll in front of me closed her eyes.

Shudder— For a few seconds, her closed eyelids twitched as if she were dreaming. When her eyes opened again, a warm, natural smile appeared on her face. She reached out, touched my cheek, and spoke, "It's our first time meeting face to face. Allow me to introduce myself again."

I was speechless as she greeted me.

"I'm Chloro."

The doll—no, Chloro's smile was truly charming.