Apocalypse Shelter Administrator

Acid Rain

“Gwoooooooh!” A scream of agony, thundering through the entire shelter, erupted. But to me, it sounded like the chorus of heaven.

[Can you see? How that grime is being washed away from every corner.]

Just as Artemis said, all the repulsive organic matter, the massive nest of flesh, and the roaming infected within the hydroponic facility were melting away in an instant. It was more satisfying than watching bleach clean the walls of a yellowed bathroom.

“Kiieeeeek!” The infected were thrashing madly in the facility. They swung their arms as if attacking an imaginary enemy, but it was a meaningless act. It didn’t take long for them to reveal their skeletons and internal organs before collapsing where they stood. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say they spilled to the ground.

“Dissolve everything! This feels incredibly satisfying.”

The solution pouring from the sprinklers reacted with the organic matter, causing steam to rise like in a sauna. However, the surveillance cameras were high-end models capable of maintaining visibility through the steam, so the view wasn’t obstructed.

[Absolutely correct. It's a beautiful sight. I think I now have some idea of what it feels like for a human to drink a refreshing beverage. The only suitable punishment for them is execution.] Rose spoke.

As someone whose duty was to maintain order, the sight of the infected being wiped out in one fell swoop must have been utterly satisfying. She seems to be tougher than she first appeared.

Even in its dying moments, the massive nest continued to scream incessantly. If it was loud enough to echo through here, it must be incredibly noisy outside. On the cameras in each section, you could see the infected running around in confusion. It seemed they instinctively realized that an important entity within their ecosystem was in danger, but there was nothing they could do.

[The work is nearly done.]

The contaminated tissue and infected that had clung to the walls and floors had all melted away, leaving only the heart of the nest. Even that was half-melted, revealing the internal organs and blood vessels.

There was no blood or bodily fluid flowing out because whatever tried to seep out was instantly dissolved by the acidic rain, sticking to the surface. An endless coagulation, you might say. The chunks of meat, similar to arteries inside the heart, lost their strength and spilled out. It seemed they no longer had the energy to maintain their form.

Glug Glug—

Even though highly acidic purification fluid was constantly being poured down from above, the arteries were so thick that the massive amount of blood spilling from the cross-sections filled the floor.

“Gwoooaaah!” With a final, desperate scream, the massive nest met its complete death.

“This removes our biggest concern. There won’t be any more explosions, and the infected will start entering hibernation one by one.”

Although it's called hibernation, they don’t stop using nutrients entirely, so they’ll eventually perish.

[Waiting for that would take too long. Let’s use a more effective method.] Artemis spoke.

This time, the screen showed the ventilation control program. It managed the circulation and purification of air within the shelter while adjusting the atmosphere. If necessary, it could increase the oxygen levels in the air to boost the workers' labor capabilities, or conversely, decrease the oxygen levels to hinder activities during riots.

[How about this?] As Artemis spoke, an animation of small ventilation fans began spinning simultaneously. The propeller fans were just a visual representation; in reality, various machines managed the air quality. The important thing was that the command to reduce the air concentration to the limit had been executed.

—Warning. The input value is the minimum required to sustain human life. Lowering it further will require administrator approval.

The manual issued a warning message.

[To ignore that limit, I need your approval. If you do, those repulsive creatures outside will suffocate to death.] Along with Artemis’s words, the command window I had seen earlier appeared again.

Approve, or cancel. Even if they enter hibernation, their breathing rate will merely decrease, not stop entirely. Cutting off the air would annihilate them. A newspaper article I had once read came to mind.

“They breathe too!”

The last order given by the government when it existed was unlimited chemical warfare, and it had indeed yielded significant results. Out in the open world, where controlling air was impossible, they had to resort to poison gas. But in a closed environment like a shelter, cutting off the air would be the ultimate solution.

“In that case, approv—” I almost gave the approval command without thinking, but stopped myself. There was one thing I had to do first.

“Artemis, cutting off the air will have to wait a little longer. There’s something we need to do first.”

[You mean survivors? I’m sorry, but there are none. The probability of there being any survivors left in the shelter is less than 0.0000001%. I’m saying this after thoroughly checking every section.]

Artemis was probably right. Though she has a disdainful attitude toward humans—toward all life forms, really—she isn’t a mass murderer. She must have conducted far more cross-checking than I could have.

She would have combed through the surveillance cameras, the newly updated sensors, records of communication lines, operation logs of tramcars and various vehicles, and any other conceivable means of detection. To her, an investigation means nothing less than a complete survey.

“Pretty much the same odds as winning the lottery.”

Wasn’t the chance of winning the lottery one in eight million?

“But, humans have this thing where we want to bet on those ridiculous odds.”

I issued a cancel order.

“Just give me two days.”

[Do as you wish. Compared to the time of hardship you've endured, two days is nothing. Besides, in the current state, the activity level of the infected will be significantly reduced, so there’s no risk of the barricades being breached.]

Surprisingly, Artemis took a step back.

“Rose.”

[Yes, Administrator.]

“Prepare a recording. Broadcast it across the entire shelter for two days. Set it as an emergency crowd control announcement.”

[Understood.]

With Artemis in control of the shelter, Rose had been granted a certain level of access, limited to security matters.

[You may begin when ready. After the recording is finished, you can add or remove content as needed.]

“Haa…” I took a deep breath and then began to speak into the microphone. Soon, the broadcast echoed throughout the entire shelter.

[This is the shelter command center, System Administrator Seo Jinsoo speaking. After much effort, we have finally regained control over the entire facility. Everything will return to normal. The monsters roaming our facility will be thoroughly eradicated. A large-scale purification operation is about to commence. If anyone is still alive, please follow our instructions.

Move to the nearest surveillance camera or fire detector. If your image is captured even for a moment, we will be able to locate you. You can also call us or turn the lights on and off.BWe can track the electric flow generated by the use of electronic devices.

In 48 hours, all air in the shelter will be removed. Any remaining monsters that survive the suffocation operation will be eliminated by security robots. We do not want any survivors to get caught up in this unlimited purification operation. If you are alive, please, respond to us. We will remotely guide you to a safe place where you can survive. This broadcast is being transmitted on all frequencies within the shelter. It will be repeated every two minutes.]

The broadcast ended there.

[Is this enough?]

“I just want to do everything I can so I won’t have any regrets later.” I sat down in the duty officer's chair and sipped on a warm cup of coffee. It still doesn’t quite feel real that I've succeeded.

“I think I'll only be able to rest peacefully once this is over. It’s the relief of finally having fulfilled all my duties.” I manipulated the panel to check the area near the front of the building.

The infected, who had been causing a commotion near the barricades, had significantly decreased in number. Most of them had rushed toward the hydroponic facility, probably perceiving it as an intrusion aimed at destroying their nest. They likely didn’t know what sprinklers were, so in their minds, they were probably panicking and rushing to fend off the intruder.

[The rich organic compounds in the hydroponic facility must have provided a good source of nutrients, making it an attractive place to settle. But in the end, it just tightened their own noose.]

The gases emitted by the nest were almost gone, thanks to the powerful ventilation system. The risk of an explosion was eliminated, and now I was safe. The remaining tasks were no longer about life-or-death battles or infiltration but more about repairing and restoring the damaged facilities. Most of that work would fall to Artemis, and there wouldn’t be much for me to do.

Slurp— Even as I drank my coffee, I could feel sleepiness creeping in. It felt like the fatigue I had been putting off was finally catching up to me all at once.

Slurp— I finished the last sip and then sank deep into the chair.

“Everything will be fine, right?”

I think Artemis said something in response, but I didn’t hear it. My consciousness sank deeply into sleep.

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