Apocalypse Shelter Administrator

Weapon Check

Clack— The bolt slid smoothly into place and chambered a round. When I pulled the trigger, the firing mechanism struck an empty chamber with a heavy click. This riot shotgun, retrieved from the security room, had been sitting unused for who knows how long but was still in pristine condition. It was brand new, never fired, and had been oiled meticulously before shipment.

Next up was the shooting stance. Although it wasn’t as familiar as the standard-issue weapons from my officer days, the shotgun rested comfortably between my chest and cheek.

"Not bad."

[Stop.]

I froze, my body going as stiff as a mannequin.

[Move your right leg back 20 cm and lower the muzzle to a 15-degree angle.]

I adjusted my stance as instructed. Despite my experience as a veteran officer, I now felt like a rookie under her guidance. But what choice did I have? She’s Artemis.

[Forget the shooting manual that came with the firearm. Given your physique and eye shape, this stance will offer the highest accuracy.]

This shotgun was intended as a precaution against potential riots among the residents during our isolated life here, not for actual combat. This is South Korea, a country with some of the strictest gun control laws, even as the world descends into chaos. Although regulations on projectiles have eased somewhat, live ammunition is still a no-go. So we make do with an assortment of non-lethal weapons.

Even the sentry guns installed in the shelter are loaded with rubber bullets, meant for private security rather than military use. If only we had military-grade sentry guns with live rounds, maybe we wouldn’t have had to cede control of the entire shelter to the infected.

"Of course, there are always exceptions."

As I removed the salt rounds from the top of the box, I uncovered jade-colored bullets, gleaming with a distinct presence.

[So I’ve been harboring a criminal? Smuggling live ammo into South Korea?]

She commented as I loaded the shells one by one.

“You’ve got to have an insurance policy for those last moments, right?”

Given the chaos that ensued just before the world went to hell, wouldn't you want something like this on hand? In retrospect, it was the right choice. Salt rounds wouldn’t do much against the infected crawling below.

Next, I grabbed a net launcher—non-lethal, but potentially more practical than a shotgun in certain situations. The launcher fires a thin, strong carbon fiber net, known for its safety issues. There were instances where rioters got their ears or fingers severed by this net. It's banned in South Korea, but where there's a will, there's a way.

After picking up some flashbangs and tear gas, I took a titanium fire axe. I'd prefer to avoid close combat with the infected, but my stash of shotgun shells isn’t endless, and there will be times when I need to deal with enemies quietly.

I pulled out the riot gear from the cabinet. It offered almost no ballistic protection but had excellent anti-stab and chemical resistance, making it more suitable against the infected, given that it’s made from non-flammable materials.

[Take this.]

A serving robot handed me a small mining sonic detector.

[It will pick up any suspicious sounds. It should help you locate the infected.]

“How do I use this?”

[Just attach it to your body. I’ll alert you if anything comes up.]

“Thanks. While you’re at it, could I ask for one more favor?”

[What is it?]

Instead of answering, I tossed three shoulder cams on the table and started strapping them on—one on each shoulder for front and rear surveillance, and the last one on my helmet, angled upward.

“Even if I miss something, you’ll catch every single fly, right?”

[Of course.]

Finally, I secured a military knife to my leg to finish my prep. With the net launcher at my side, fire axe on my back, and shotgun in hand, I must've looked like a cross between a PMC mercenary, a cosplayer lost in some game, and a post-apocalyptic raider—throwing weapons dangling from my chest included.

“How do I look?”

[It’s the best weapon combination for now.]

I wasn’t gearing up for a full-scale battle. I knew the terrain, and I had Artemis watching my back. Besides, when the initial infection outbreak triggered the lockdown, the shelter had been sealed off layer by layer. It was still better off than the nightmare outside.

The security room cabinet was stuffed with articles I’d collected over time. A front-page piece from the Pyeongtaek weekly, Sosabeol Morning News caught my eye:

"Corpses Are Walking Around!"

(The photo showed a man covered in grotesque tumors, with a police officer aiming a warning shot at him.)

News from the Hanminjok Union Newsletter:

The DMZ, Battle Breaks Out with Five North Korean Divisions Deserting En Masse!

"We're Not Invading, Please Don’t Shoot!"

The desperate plea from a North Korean general was ignored. The defense commander ordered maximum firepower bombardment.

Seoul National University Student Newspaper:

The Army Has Fallen!

Command Structure in Ruins!

Conscripts Left Abandoned at the University, Consumed by Waves of Monsters

(Accompanying the article is a photo of a burning university, with a Bradley Fighting Vehicle torn to pieces and dozens of abandoned two-and-a-half-ton trucks strewn about.)

They're Not Zombies

You Won't Get Infected Even If Bitten

Stop the Massacre

Shut Up! I Saw a Man Covered in Monster Vomit Turn into an Anemone a Few Days Later

Burn Them All!

Koryo Ilbob Front Page Article:

U.S. Troops Withdraw from the Korean Peninsula

Thousands of Refugees Leap into the Sea, Chasing After the Aircraft Carrier

(The attached photo shows a woman submerged in seawater, with only her two arms holding a baby above the surface.)

Front Page Article

They Breathe Too!

President Approves Unrestricted Chemical Warfare

All citizens were ordered to take shelter underground or in bomb shelters. Yet, the gas mask filters handed out to reservists only last for four hours. Each article was like a ticking time bomb, impossible to ignore, filled with grim advice on how to deal with the infected.

[Working for me is its own reward, but I'll throw in a little extra motivation.]

A video popped up on my PDA.

[The infected are just another form of life. By tracking how they infect other organisms, we can weaponize their weaknesses.]@@novelbin@@

The screen displayed images of the production plants below.

[Once I gain full control of the shelter, I'll begin research to wipe out those revolting creatures.]

These were the places where workers would have been tirelessly manufacturing, assembling, and synthesizing things.

“Good to know.”

[I can tolerate the filth you produce, but what they spread makes me want to vomit. Figuratively, of course. I'm not a primitive creature like you who excretes waste.]

“Touching.”

[Do you need a combat stabilizer?]

It's a drug that blocks certain pathways in the brain, making it impossible to feel emotions like fear. Sure, there are side effects, but they're manageable, and plenty of records show it significantly boosts the survival rates of recruits during their first combat deployment. Despite the controversies, production continues.

“No, I'm not a rookie. I don't need it.” I gripped the shotgun with both hands.

“No matter how monstrous they are, like they crawled out of hell…”

Twisted, swollen, hard, and sharp abominations.

“They can’t be scarier than humans.”

Surely, they can't be more terrifying than the humans I've faced on the battlefield. Even the weakest among them could rain down 2,000-joule lead slugs that would make you scream wherever they hit.

What about the sight of dozens of soldiers being shredded into pieces and mixed together like trail mix by a single explosion, leading to a mass funeral? Could any monster down there—no matter how much acid it spews—be more ruthless than a human deploying chemical weapons into a fortified building?

“Don’t you think?”

[Your courage is commendable, but don't get complacent. Your insignificant hands and feet are my only tools. The moment you die, this place ceases to be a sanctuary. It will become a cold pyramid.]

Coming from her, this was practically a compliment.

[Do you have any questions about the route?]

“It’s flawless. I would’ve thought of the same route.”

[As I mentioned before, don't fixate on a single path. I'll be blocking or opening nearby entrances depending on the situation to keep the infected away from you. You'll need to adjust your movement strategy accordingly. Simulate alternate routes to your destination at every moment.]

“No problem. I know this place like the back of my hand, even if I'm not as good as you.”

[Of course, there shouldn’t be any problems. You are the system administrator of this place, after all.]

“And you?”

[The owner.]

“Figured…” I lifted the shotgun and tapped the back of my neck as I walked out. I headed towards the main gate of the VIP residential area, which had remained firmly sealed since the outbreak began.