Apocalypse Shelter Administrator

The Absence of Sensation

The therapy room—neither too bright nor too dark—was designed to soothe the mind. The bed-like sofa, which had become one with my body, pulled me below the surface of consciousness. The aroma invaded my nostrils, gripped me by the ankles and dragged me deeper. The sleep mask blocked my vision comfortably without any pressure, making the cozy embrace of the sofa and the pleasant fragrance even more sensitive.

Then, a male voice reached me.

[Are you procrastinating on something you need to do?]

“I wouldn’t have crawled into a nest of monsters if I were.”

[Do you feel like you have no friends to confide in?]

“I had some, but they’re gone now. They’re probably all dead.”

[Do you feel like you have no vision or plans for the future?]

“Does survival count as a vision? I don't think getting married and having kids is really in the cards anymore.”

“I can’t go anywhere.”

[Have you ever thought about resting in nature, like by the sea, in the mountains, or in a valley?]

“I can’t go anywhere.”

[Do you feel like others are avoiding you?]

“There’s no one around.”

[Are you afraid of being embarrassed or humiliated in front of others?]

“There’s no one around, I said!”

[Do you have a partner with whom you engage in sexual activities?]

“Hey…”

[Do you feel more sexual desire now compared to before?]

“…!”

Feeling the frustration boil up inside me, I shouted, “Ah! I want to have sex!!!”

I tore off the sleep mask covering my eyes and leapt off the sofa. “Manual, stop the psychological counseling program.”

[Command received.]

With those words, the soft lighting dimmed, and the bright lights came on. The reason I ended up in this ridiculous counseling program was a single careless remark I made in front of Artemis.

Ah, I want to have sex!

Maybe it was the accumulated stress, the fatigue, the loneliness of being alone for so long, the boiling blood of youth—it all mixed together and that nonsense just slipped out.

[I’ve increased the oxygen levels slightly. It should help clear your mind a bit. Also, I recommend visiting this place.]

And so, she sent me to the aroma therapy room. It was certainly a comfortable and tranquil place, but it didn’t help much. If the stress had been from work or relationships, maybe it would’ve worked, but how could it help with loneliness or sexual frustration? At that point, I noticed there was an optional psychological counseling session available, so I decided to give it a try.

It was more of a checkbox option conducted by the manual, but since it was developed by accredited institutions based on verified data, it wasn’t something to dismiss entirely. The problem is that it’s a program designed for a society that functions normally, where humans interact and live together. What’s the point of asking about my relationships, where I want to travel, or what I think about the future in the current situation?

[The therapy room wasn’t effective. Your dopamine levels are still below normal, and the flow of norepinephrine is unstable. I’m reluctant to do so, but I may have to prescribe medication if things don’t improve.]

“I’ve been meaning to say this for a while, but could you ease up on peering into my body? If you’re curious, just ask.”

[Why should I? There’s a saying that seeing is believing. A single scan can tell me more about your health and mind than a hundred conversations.]

“It’s just that it feels like I’m being interrogated naked. Even a seasoned porn star would find this uncomfortable.”

Even women who constantly display their genitals and anus in front of a camera would probably struggle with having their hormones and neurotransmitters thoroughly scanned. It’s like peering into my mind. If the one scanning me wasn’t Artemis but an ordinary doctor, I would never have allowed it.

[I understand that it can be uncomfortable, but I have a duty to maintain your health. Jinsoo, we’re bound by fate. You can use your authority to block my scans, but please don’t. I want to prevent any potential physical or mental pain you might experience.]

Artemis’s response was more considerate than I had expected. With that kind of response, how could I argue further?

At times like this, keeping busy with work is usually a good idea, but I had already finished all of it. The air, refreshed by changing the ventilation filters, was crisp, and the power supply was stable. There were no more robots left in idle mode. And so, endless boredom set in. When men are bored and alone, their minds tend to wander, especially towards lewd thoughts.

—Damn it, if I’m going to go down, I should at least go out with a bang! Hahaha!

For instance, that revolting android, the one that burried its face between the legs of that supervisor.

“It seems that without work, people really do start to slack off.”

Right after returning, there were plenty of things to do. Besides the backlog of tasks, there were all sorts of sights to see. Like the major cleanup operations and the collection of personal belongings from the residents. I recalled those times.

Thunk! The infected had their arms chopped off by the security robot’s axe.

“Strong as ever. The limbs got chopped off in one clean strike.”

I commented while watching the central control room screen. In my left hand was a bag of jerky, and in my right, a can of zero cola.

Thunk! With the second axe strike, the infected creature’s arms were gone. Was it still alive, given that twitch near its eyes? Or maybe it was already dead. But really, what difference did it make?

By the fifth day of the suffocation operation, you should be able to tell the difference between a creature that’s dying and one that’s already dead. The security robot severed the remaining limbs with its axe, and then the loader came to collect the remains. The neatly chopped pieces were piled into a bucket and lifted away.

Security robots that sustained manageable damage were sent to the central region factory for repairs before being redeployed for the massive cleanup operation. Most of the infected creatures were dead, and the few that were still clinging to life were little more than the walking dead, offering no resistance.

Vrrrmmm

The road roller, typically used for flattening the ground or asphalt, was now flattening something else.

Crunch— As it rolled over the tougher, hardened-surface infected creatures, they were ground into minced meat.

And what about the crane? Normally used to tow vehicles or move heavy construction materials, it was now lifting and moving the large mutant juggernaut like a claw machine. Watching the security robot cut off limbs and the road roller flatten infected creatures was bloody and brutal, but this—this was just amusing. It reminded me of a claw machine picking up a gorilla plush toy.

A massive lump was swinging back and forth, held by a single ankle. Up close, it was a terrifying monster, but from a distance, it was no different from a toy doll. They breathed so much, given their size, that they all died within a day. According to Artemis’s report, there were as many as nine of them in the shelter. If half of them had been near the building, the operation might have failed.

The infected creatures gathered from various locations were all incinerated at the furnace. The shelter was large enough to accommodate a town’s population but operated on a closed cycle that assumed resource recycling. As a result, the incinerator was small compared to the shelter’s size, but it had to process the remains of the massive nest, running almost non-stop.

There was nothing horrific about the sight of the infected bodies piled in heaps as they were fed into the furnace by the vehicle. Maybe it was because I’d destroyed too many human-shaped creatures and seen too many corpses that my emotions had become dulled.

There was one more event besides the major cleanup operation, and it was actually quite exciting.

It was time for loot.

Along with the cleanup, we collected useful items from the workers' residences, various offices, and break rooms, and there were some pretty interesting things among them.

“Why would anyone bring waxing supplies? What would they need that for here?”

Since we hadn’t yet received any residents, all the occupants were workers, and of course, most of them were men. What could you expect? This was a construction site until recently.

[Humans have too much body hair. They even shed it everywhere. If you’re not going to use it, give it to me. I’ll keep it safe as a valuable item until you decide to use it.]

“If you hate shedding hair so much, why don’t you wax me yourself? I’d gladly let you.”

[Wax you? You, you want to see me throw up? Fortunately, I can’t, but I can feel my voltage spiking just from the thought.]

Voltage spiking… would that be the equivalent of getting goosebumps for humans?

“What’s with all these condoms? How could anyone have the energy left to wield their tools with so many of these around?”

When the cargo drone dumped out its load, a cascade of condoms of all colors and sizes poured out like a waterfall.

Essential goods, tools, and various home appliances were sent to the storage warehouse, while only personal items related to leisure and hobbies were kept, making every single one of them interesting. It felt like going on a treasure hunt. But, since this was the personal stuff from a construction site mostly occupied by men, it was mainly filled with vices like cigarettes, alcohol, sports equipment, games, and various sexual devices.

The vices, games, and sports equipment didn’t interest me much since we already had plenty of superior replacements in the cultural facilities. What caught my attention were mainly the adult products. Artemis had initially joined in out of curiosity, but she disappeared as more and more ridiculous items surfaced.

“There’s a lot of interesting stuff, but I’m not really keen on using any of it.”

Am I really supposed to use what other men have used? I’d rather pass on that.

Eventually, after about half a day of rummaging through the loot, it was over.

That was the situation a few days ago. Since then, things have been like they are now. Life is peaceful and safe, but spending time alone in a limited space lacks stimulation. I still enjoy talking with Artemis and Rose. But there’s something missing that conversation with beings who exist only in spirit, without physical bodies, cannot fulfill.

It’s not just about relieving sexual desire. It’s the exchange of sensations based on the physical body that I miss so much—having a conversation over coffee, shaking hands with someone new, hugging an old friend, or sharing warmth with a lover.

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