Chapter 5 Upgrade Of Bunker

After the supplies were unloaded at the warehouse, Theresa transferred the large generator into her domain. There was more than enough room for it! Soon after, she made her way back to her base. She carefully placed the generator in the furthest storage room within the bunker. 'Ding! 1,000-kilowatt generator detected. Reward! A generator with permanent durability and the lowest energy consumption!' Her eyes widened in disbelief! She marveled at how the generator now gleamed with a silvery sheen, its overall quality and strength now far superior to what it had been before! The best part was it was now indestructible! Normally, generators need regular upkeep, and Theresa had been planning to get as much use out of it as possible. But to her astonishment, the system had turned it into a machine that would never break! This was unbelievable! Time to keep moving forward! She quickly set about installing the cameras onto the barbed wire fence she had set up the day before. Her bunker was tucked away in an ideal location, encircled by a dense forest. The nearest main road was a kilometer away, and the side road veered into the forest after another half-kilometer, disappearing from sight. This spot was nearly invisible to anyone passing by, ensuring the tunnel remained undetected. With the cameras in place, leaving no blind spots, she connected them to the power system, which was fueled by the generator. This setup ensured she could keep an eye on any unwelcome creatures that might wander into her territory! Once everything was connected, the cameras and electrified fence sprang to life. Her computer screen was filled with a grid of live surveillance footage, covering every inch of her domain without missing a detail. Simultaneously, a system alert rang out. 'Ding! Surveillance and electric grid systems detected. Reward! Surveillance system enhanced! Expanded detection range by tenfold! Now capable of identifying all living and non-living entities! Electric grid upgraded! Maximum voltage now at 10,000 volts!' Theresa was stunned! She stared at the sharper, more detailed footage on her computer screen. With a simple click, the pixels were significantly sharper—ten times better than before! As she zoomed in, she realized the range of her surveillance had gone from a hundred meters to an astonishing one thousand meters! She could now clearly spot the distant road through the trees, a view that was once impossible! At that moment, a bird attempted to land on the electrified wire fence she had set up. It circled above, eventually spotting a place to rest. In the blink of an eye, there was a sharp beep followed by a flash of sparks. The bird plummeted straight to the ground. Theresa's eyes gleamed with approval as she noted that the defense of her bunker had been enhanced perfectly. It was flawless! She couldn't wait to see who would dare challenge her base now. Touch it, and you're done for! "Summer, stay away from the wire fences from now on, understand?" Woof! Since the upgrade, Summer's physical and mental abilities had both improved, making him more perceptive and aware than ever before. After gently ruffling its head, she retrieved some food from the refrigerator in her space. She shared a meal with him, savoring the brief moment of comfort. Once they were finished, she got back to organizing her base. During this process, she discovered that even the smallest tasks around the bunker yielded rewards. For example, when she cleared the well and removed the overgrown weeds: 'Ding! Well upgrade detected! Reward! A pristine water source from the independent mountain range!' 'Ding! Weed area reduction detected! Reward! Superior soil! Crop yield increased by 100 times! Growth speed accelerated by 10 times!' Seeing this, Theresa felt invigorated. A clean water source and fertile soil—clear signs that her base was rapidly improving, becoming stronger and more self-sufficient with each passing day. With these fundamental resources secured, she could soon cultivate fresh fruits and vegetables, paving the way for a fully self-sufficient lifestyle. Determined to take the next step, she resolved to stock up on a diverse assortment of seeds. In what felt like no time at all, ten days had slipped by. Over the past week, she began each morning with an intense ten-kilometer run around her base. This disciplined regimen not only pushed her physical endurance to new heights but also helped her memorize every detail of the surrounding terrain. Her bunker was ingeniously nestled within the heart of a mountain. Encircling it was a formidable barrier of electrified wire, stretching in a semi-circular formation across the mountain's mid-slopes. Where the wire met the mountain, sheer cliffs provided an additional layer of natural defense, making it almost impossible for anyone to breach the perimeter. On the opposite side of the mountain, the challenge was even more daunting—steeper inclines coupled with dense shrubbery and thick trees created an almost impassable terrain! Even seasoned mountaineers, armed with professional equipment, would find the climb an arduous, if not impossible, task. Theresa's base was as secure as a citadel carved from the mountain itself. The most pressing threat looming over her base was fire. Forest fires were notoriously unpredictable and devastating. The only surefire way to mitigate the risk would be for her to raze an entire swath of trees to carve out a firebreak. But doing so came with its own peril. Stripping the area of its natural cover would make her base painfully conspicuous. In a world on the brink of collapse, the greatest danger wasn't nature but humanity itself. Staying concealed was paramount. After some deep contemplation, she decided on a more subtle approach. She rolled up her sleeves and began clearing away the forest floor's dry, brittle remnants—dead branches and fallen leaves that could act as kindling. Cutting down the trees was out of the question. Removing them would practically paint a target on her location, inviting trouble she couldn't afford. In this harsh new reality, keeping humans at bay was far more prudent than dealing with the chaos they might unleash. Moreover, the forest's inherent dampness made large-scale fires a rarity. By removing the flammable debris around her base, she could significantly reduce the risk without compromising her position. Using her base's protective perimeter as the focal point, Theresa methodically carved out a clean, hazard-free zone that balanced safety and secrecy, ensuring her fortress remained secure without sacrificing its concealment. As she worked, an unexpected voice resonated in her mind. 'Ding! Fire hazards have been mitigated. Reward! Permanent immunity to combustion within the cleared zone!' She froze mid-motion, her jaw nearly dropping. Unbelievable! she thought, a spark of elation lighting up her face. This wasn't just a small perk—this was a game-changer, a miraculous upgrade to her stronghold's safety. Her ability came through just when she needed it most! The greatest vulnerability of her bunker, the threat of fire, the most precarious flaw in her defenses had been erased in one fell swoop. Relief washed over her, but she didn't let it slow her down. If anything, it pushed her to double down on her efforts. She quickly shifted her focus, diving into the next round of tasks with renewed vigor. Every square foot she tidied seemed to trigger another small improvement, pushing her base closer to becoming an impenetrable fortress. Under her relentless efforts, her sanctuary was evolving rapidly—stronger, safer, and more prepared for the chaos that lay ahead. Over the past few days, her orders had been steadily arriving, forming a steady stream of deliveries. By day, she threw herself into the meticulous work of fortifying her bunker. But when night fell, she slipped away to her warehouse to claim the items she had been stockpiling. She had instructed the delivery drivers to unload everything directly into the warehouse. To ensure the safety of her goods, she had installed an oversized surveillance camera at the entrance, while Summer, her fiercely protective canine, stood guard inside, adding another layer of security. In these peaceful times, most people wouldn't even think of stirring trouble—especially not with a formidable dog guarding the premises. The drivers, sensing the unspoken warning, worked swiftly, unloading truck after truck before departing without delay. Once the coast was clear, Theresa would arrive under the cover of darkness. With practiced efficiency, she used her domain to transport the supplies back to her base, piece by piece. Every trip brought her closer to fortifying her stronghold for the trials ahead. 'Ding! Warehouse capacity maxed out!' Her monumental haul had finally arrived—a hundred tons of rice, a thousand boxes of instant noodles, two hundred crates of sausages, a hundred cases of pickles, and over twenty thousand ready-made meal packets. Every last item had been systematically stacked in the deepest chamber of her bunker, forming an organized arsenal of supplies. "Reward! Ultimate Storage Vault! Food preservation guaranteed indefinitely!" Before her eyes, the mundane chamber entrance morphed into a state-of-the-art bank vault door, just like the ones she'd seen in spy movies. The thick, reinforced metal structure radiated impenetrability, impervious to even the most advanced explosive tools. Only her iris scan could grant access to this fortified treasure trove! When she stepped inside, she was greeted by an impeccably organized interior. Supplies were sorted with surgical precision, each item in its rightful place. But the real marvel lay in its new capability—permanent freshness! No decay, no spoilage, no ticking expiration dates. Her provisions had become an eternal lifeline, immune to the ravages of time!