Apocalypse Shelter Administrator

Chapter 10: Juggernaut

Juggernaut

When the shelter construction project was first approved, the initial priority was to secure an AI system suitable for its operation. Unlike typical cities, this shelter required closed operation, meaning even the smallest mistake was unacceptable.

Everything, from traffic flow to waste disposal, food and water supply, sewage treatment, and air pollution management, had to be perfectly synchronized. Obviously, it was impossible for humans to manage this. Small errors, no matter how minor, would inevitably accumulate, leading to disastrous consequences.

Three of the most advanced AIs of the time were selected and showed some success during preliminary operations. However, the sheer size of the shelter proved too much for these AIs to handle, leading to the discovery of numerous issues and a conclusion that it was "unoperational in its current state."

[Let me reintroduce myself. I am Rose, the law enforcement AI.]

Rose was one of the original three.

"When I first came here to take over, I only saw you in the records. This is the first time we're actually talking."

[Originally, I was supposed to awaken after all the residents had moved in. However, due to the emergency lockdown protocol triggered by the infection outbreak, I was awakened prematurely.]

"That must have been quite a shock. The chain of command collapsed, and instead of dealing with delinquents or strikers, you’re facing monsters."

[Exactly. But I have a duty to restore order during this disturbance. It’s a pleasure to meet you, System Administrator.]

Rose was polite. Her tone was emotionless and cold, but after living with Artemis, I didn't feel anything unusual about it.

"Oh, you're different from someone who always speaks rudely, boasts, and takes every chance to slander. Yes, an AI that assists humans should behave like this."

[Is that directed at me?]

Artemis spoke up.

[Oh, Artemis! It’s an honor to meet you. You may not know me, but I’ve heard a lot about you from the senior re

[That’s what I think, but I can’t give you a definitive answer. I only have limited information from the early stages of the infection outbreak, and I had no way of knowing what was happening outside after that.]

The communication with Rose ended here. She cited the inability to assist further as a reason not to distract me. She concluded with a promise to contact me if any other crucial information was uncovered, then terminated the connection.

When I opened the door and stepped outside, it was, predictably, a complete mess. Vehicles and obstacles were scattered everywhere, along with bloodstains and traces of an attempted evacuation. However, it seemed there were no human guards in this area, as there were no signs of riot shields or other equipment. What was there, though, were—

"Is this even possible?"

—security robots, reduced to scrap metal, sprawled all around.

[It's not the result of weapons. These were smashed and torn apart by overwhelming force.]

Some had their heads ripped off, while others had chests crushed to the point that a soccer ball could fit halfway in.

"Even a mountain gorilla couldn’t do this."

I barely survived fighting just one of these things, yet here, a whole group of them had been wiped out?

[20 meters to the right.]

I instinctively turned and lowered my stance. Something was slowly approaching in the darkness.

It was a security robot.

Grrrrng Clank— Its left foot was broken and twisted in half, and the right leg wasn't in much better condition. Occasional sparks flew from the joints in its upper body.

[I am here to rescue you. Please remain calm.]

It was the same flat, emotionless voice I had heard during the memory playback.

"Is that one still functioning?"

[Can't you tell just by looking?]

"This isn't the time for jokes. You know what I mean."

[It's fine; the actuators in its head are functioning normally. Although it's badly damaged elsewhere, it won't attack you.]

Artemis spoke.

[There is a dangerous rioter nearby. Resident, please evacuate.]

At the same time, a horrifying roar echoed.

"What the hell is that?"

[Remember the audio log from Block 4 Work Team Leader, Kim Youngsoo?]

"The one who was holding a sit-in with the engineers?"

[The roar you heard at the end of that audio log matches the sound pattern of this growl.]

Before Artemis even finished speaking, a massive shadow dropped from the sky.

Thud—

I couldn’t tell if it had leaped from afar, clung to a nearby building and jumped off, or simply fell from the sky. It appeared so suddenly.

"Raaaargh!"

My entire body screamed danger. Even with all my combat experience, this thing sent chills down my spine. A mutant, on a completely different level from the infected I'd fought before. It was moving on all fours like a gorilla, possibly because of its disproportionately developed upper body, but it didn’t look clumsy or unbalanced in the slightest. Even a saltwater crocodile would get its jaws ripped apart if caught by this thing.

[You are engaging in activities threatening to the community. You are subject to arrest—]

Before the security robot could finish speaking, the mutant seized its head in its brutish grasp.

Thud Thud— The mutant slammed the robot into the ground twice before lifting it up to stare into its eyes.

Creak Creak—

Now, it only emitted the same broken sound I heard from that lunatic on the subway.

Crack—

After snorting, it pulled the robot’s head off as if it were nothing.

"Raaaargh!"

Its triumphant roar made my skin tingle. There was something about the mutant's roar that bypassed the veteran soldier Seo Jinsoo and awakened a primal mammalian instinct hidden within.

The creature then leapt onto a nearby sedan, crushing it under its weight. With a loud creaking sound, the car's frame crumpled, and in a split second, the tires burst with a few pitiful pops. The obnoxious car alarm was just a bonus. Bang Bang— It silenced the alarm with two heavy punches. The actions seemed second nature to it.

"The engineers must have been taken down by that thing." I whispered as I stealthily moved to the building across from it.

[That hallway isn’t big enough for something of that size. There must be smaller versions of it as well.]

The mutant, seemingly losing interest in the wrecked security robot, casually tossed its body aside. Kaaang— The metal carcass skidded across the stone pavement, throwing sparks in its wake. And, of course, it stopped right in front of me, just a few meters away from where I was sneaking.

“…”

I locked eyes with the creature.

“Goddammit.”

What do I do now? Run? Or stay still and try not to provoke it? In movies, turning your back usually results in immediate death.

[What are you doing? Run!]

Her warning came just as the mutant let out a bellow and charged at me, and I bolted in the opposite direction. The destination was the nearest building: the labor management office.