Apocalypse Shelter Administrator

Leadership Complete

[Hello! Nice to meet you!]

Our final member was an energetic type.

[I'm Kiz!]

Her cyber face appeared on the central control room screen, retaining a youthful look. Her voice, full of energy, matched her youthful appearance, carrying a high-pitched, girlish tone.

[I’m in charge of resident management.]

From the beginning, I had been accompanied by Artemis, the central control AI. Then there was Rose, the security manager awakened during the outbreak, and Chloro, the supply manager activated when the factories started up. Unlike the others, Kiz, who was in charge of resident management, had been in a dormant state until now, as there were no residents to manage.

I, as the system administrator, am an exception, since I am categorized separately from the regular residents. However, with the influx of residents from the exodus at the offshore prison, her dormant state was lifted.

“What exactly does managing the residents involve?”

[It’s too broad to describe specifically. It’s similar to what a supply sergeant does in the military: feeding, clothing, and figuring out how to resolve needs or complaints. It sounds simple, but if you take it seriously, it becomes an endless task.]

In an open city, citizens' basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing are indirectly managed by the government, but their well-being and complaints are ultimately their responsibility.

But a closed-loop city is different. Things like overseas travel, riding, driving, food exploration, watching sports, hiking, or swimming are restricted. Residents must resolve these desires within limited resources and space. Adhering to the strict rules unique to a closed city is also mandatory.

If the residents' desires, happiness, and complaints are neglected, it’s a perfect recipe for rebellion. It’s like a city management simulation game. You must maintain enough leisure and entertainment facilities and actively intervene in residents' happiness and dissatisfaction.

However, unlike games, you can’t just build a colosseum and expect dissatisfaction to go down immediately. It’s much more hands-on. Of course, this only applies to residents who are formally settled and have some rights. Currently, the city’s difficulty level is practically set to "very easy."

[People can’t live on just food alone, right? They need entertainment, ways to relieve stress, and something to pour their energy into.]

“So, in short, you’re responsible for improving the overall quality of life for the residents?”

[Not quite. My task isn’t to gradually increase their happiness, but to ensure their dissatisfaction doesn’t exceed a certain level.]

“You don’t need to make them happy, just prevent a rebellion?”

[Exactly! It’s a bit harsh, right? But what can you do? Orders are orders.]

“I’m not surprised. That’s just how those people are.”

As the system administrator, I had dealt with the higher-ups countless times during construction. Most interactions were through video calls, and none of them saw humans as humans. Maybe it’s precisely because they were that kind of people that they were able to build such an absurd city.

“Have you introduced yourself to the others?”

[No, you’re the first one I’ve greeted since waking up. Ah, but everyone else is here, waiting for our conversation to finish.]

As soon as she finished speaking, the rest of the team appeared on the central control room screen. The management team was now fully assembled.

[Welcome.]

Artemis spoke.

[Except for incidents that significantly impact the city, you’ll be responsible for managing minor disputes.]

[I’ll do my best!]

Kiz bowed politely.

I had once talked with Artemis about the new residents. She was generally hands-off—not because she was lazy, but because she found direct interference in human affairs undignified. However, she said she would intervene when the city’s order or our authority was threatened. It wasn’t just about protecting our rights.

Striking down foolish behavior is a rather enjoyable pastime, she said. She’s truly a terrifying goddess.

[Welcome. I’m sure we’ll be working together often.]

Rose spoke.

Kiz’s job of managing the residents and Rose’s role in maintaining security were complementary.

[It’s not just Rose. I’m connected with everyone here, work-wise.]

Kiz winked.

[When it comes to managing humans, there are so many things to consider. They need a lot, and there’s much to guide them through. In fact, raising adults is harder than raising children. And the ones we’re dealing with here are the worst kind!]

Raising adults…

[Welcome.]

Chloro spoke.

[Ah, Chloro. I’ll be sending people up, and you’ll be sending supplies down. We need to keep this cycle running smoothly. Looking forward to working with you.]

[Same here. But there’s no need to worry. We have plenty of supplies and few people. Compared to the expected number of residents, this is just a handful. Let’s work hard to ensure everyone in the city lives without any shortages!]

[Ensuring everyone’s happiness… That’s a noble goal.]

Kiz let out a strange smile. Her words trailed off.

“This is starting to feel like a real city now.”

Ample resources. Facilities and systems for self-sufficiency. A sufficient number of people. And AI managers to handle them all efficiently.

“Artemis, display the screen for the prisoner residential area.”

The screen divided into nine grids, showing various scenes from the prisoner isolation area. Everywhere I looked, there was a sense of life. The women, who once walked around the offshore prison burdened by despair and lethargy, were now barely recognizable. While they weren’t exactly bursting with energy and smiles, this was a major improvement.

The first screen showed the inside of the living quarters. The women inside were either chatting in small groups, sleeping, or stretching. Some were even in yoga poses, kneeling with their arms stretched out.

Not far from them, a group was doing Pilates. Lying down with their arms under their heads, they alternated extending their legs. Upon closer inspection, a couple of them seemed to be teaching the others. They must have been instructors before landing here and were now offering their skills for free. Quite admirable.

In any case, it was a sign they had regained enough mental freedom to share their past hobbies and skills.

The second screen showed the dining area. It looked like they had already assigned duties, as several were busy cleaning and organizing. Some were wiping down the tables with rags.

[There were quite a few prisoners of Vietnamese nationality, and some of them were assigned as assistant cooks in the cafeteria. Most of them had worked in restaurants outside as well.]

“You did well. Even if we can't resolve issues like food or resources, we should aim for as much self-sufficiency as possible when it comes to labor. But won’t they be dissatisfied that they’re the only ones working while others rest?”

[It’s fine, the reward is so good they actually begged for the job. We had so many applicants when we posted the notice that we had to be selective.]

The screen changed to show another place. There were women, cigarettes in one hand and beer cans in the other, under the supervision of security robots.

Maybe thanks to the sharp watch of the robots? None of the women spat on the ground. When they tapped their cigarette ashes, they came all the way to the central trash bin and carefully disposed of them. Dozens of people were smoking, yet the ground was spotless.

It’s truly an astonishing sight. I’ve never seen such a beautiful smoking scene in my life.

I manipulated the touch panel to zoom in, making the women’s faces clearer. Each one wore an expression of bliss. Their faces were so relaxed it made me wonder if they were smoking marijuana instead of cigarettes.

“Is it really that good?”

I’ve never smoked.

[I tried it out of curiosity once, but while I could sense the fragrance, I didn’t really understand the taste. Maybe because my body doesn’t absorb nicotine?]

Chloro said.

“You didn’t give them entire packs, right?”

[Of course not, each smoker got just one cigarette. We could give them more if they asked, but personal possession of cigarettes is prohibited. Just as we agreed.]

I nodded at Artemis’s reply.

The third screen showed a communal bathhouse. Women with their pants rolled up to their knees and sleeves to their elbows walked barefoot, doing light cleaning and tidying the drainage.

The fourth screen was the infirmary. Since patients come here, maybe they took extra care to make the atmosphere more soothing. It looked as if they had set up a movie set. White walls and floor tiles. Luxurious-looking sofas, wooden furniture. There were even flowerpots with orchids, and it seemed like music was playing. It was almost indistinguishable from a regular hospital in the outside world.

The only difference was that all the staff were medical robots. Unlike the security robots, these had rounder appearances with a blend of white and green colors, and a green cross marked their chests and shoulders.

“Female doctors?”

Looking closely, I noticed two women in doctor’s coats.

[Do Yeonhee, 29 years old. Sentenced to 10 years for violating medical laws, attempting to destroy evidence, and bribing investigators.]

She had long hair and an intellectual appearance, with thin glasses that suited her well.

“And the other one?”

[Kim Yuna, 27 years old. She’s not a prisoner. She’s a public health doctor who was already working at the offshore prison.]

This one had a slightly gloomy look with bobbed hair and horn-rimmed glasses.

[Both volunteered to handle medical duties. It’s probably more comfortable than sweating and working physically, and they can feel a sense of fulfillment from their old roles again.]

On other screens, the women were also either working on their tasks or resting.

“What about the guards?”

The screen switched to show a small area next to the prisoner isolation zone. Temporary buildings had been set up, and fences surrounded them, but the atmosphere wasn’t oppressive. The fence was about the same height as a wall, essentially serving as a boundary marker for the residents inside, but it wasn’t electrified.

The screen showed Seyoung giving instructions to what looked like senior guards. Despite being left mostly to their own devices, they seemed to be establishing an organized and disciplined lifestyle.

“I’ll have to call the representatives together soon. We have things to discuss about their future lives.”

[Shall I schedule it?]

Artemis asked.

“Yes, please.”

[We still don’t have enough information just from the prisoner profiles. I’ll monitor their daily lives more and then narrow down notable individuals for a report.]

I nodded and looked around at the others.

“Any other questions?”

Chloro, Rose, and Kiz all responded that they had none. And so, our first meeting came to an end. For some reason, it felt like I had gone back to my days as a company commander. Meeting with platoon leaders, receiving reports, supervising the lives of my subordinates. If the me from back then saw my current self, what would he think?

“Wow, I’m commanding 2,500 women! Long live!” Would he say something that ridiculous?

I manipulated the touch panel to zoom in on Seyoung. She was patting a woman’s shoulder, comforting her. At the same time, she was giving brief instructions to another woman who had approached her. Strong and confident.

I spent more time alone in the central control room, reviewing the daily lives of the prisoners. Even though I was only observing their ordinary routines, it was more fun than anything.

I clenched my fist and then opened it again. All I saw were my fingers. When I turned my gaze back, the screens in the central control room displayed the lives of numerous residents. Whatever I pointed to with my finger, whatever I commanded in one area, would be done.

“This city is in my hands.”

There were buildings to be constructed for them, tasks to be assigned, new rules to be set. It was a massive workload, and at the same time, a heavy responsibility for countless lives. But for now, I just wanted to focus entirely on the sense of exhilaration enveloping me.

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