Chapter 82
Chapter 82
On a morning when the mist had not yet fully cleared, Mapo Police Station—its exterior work completed—had transformed into something completely different.
Its outer walls were wrapped seamlessly in 30mm compressed steel plates.
And after experiencing a truck assault, an additional 2-meter-high reinforced concrete wall had been added.
In front of the wall yawned a deep moat.
At its bottom, anti-tank mines and anti-personnel mines were densely buried.
Gun ports drilled into each floor of the building aimed diagonally beyond the moat. At key points along the wall, twelve [Atlas Guardian] turrets emitted low operational hums while scanning the surroundings.
“This should be sufficient.”
After finishing the inspection, I opened Porter’s storage compartment.
The exterior defenses were enough. Now it was time to fill the interior.
Porter moved and stacked dozens of standardized steel containers in one corner of the drill yard.
After finishing the task, Porter returned to the wreckage of abandoned vehicles and disguised itself perfectly as a rock.
“Uh… R-Representative? When did you arrive?!”
A combat engineer who had been on guard, rubbing sleep from his eyes, ran over in surprise.
Soon after, hearing the commotion, Yoon Imsu, Director Han Daeman, Team Leader Lee Mira, and other officers hurried out to the yard.
“You’re all up early.”
“Apologies! We were standing night watch…”
Yoon Imsu asked, unable to hide his confusion.
“I forgot to mention it. There’s no need to keep a night watch. If the defensive system of the [Atlas Guardian] hasn’t triggered an alarm, that means not even a single ant has entered this place.”
“Pardon? You’re saying we shouldn’t keep night watch?”
“Yes. From now on, sleep well at night. If an intruder is weak enough for you to notice, the Atlas Guardian will handle them anyway. And if something can evade the Guardian’s eyes, it won’t matter whether you’re awake or not.”
It was ruthless—but undeniable.
In the ruined world, a full night’s sleep without guard duty was a luxury sweeter than any privilege.
The soldiers looked at one another awkwardly, but relief soon replaced their confusion.
—Boss, look at their faces. Won’t they get lazy and lose discipline like this? We might need to design a loyalty training program.
Picker… I think I should educate you instead.
Your chatter is cute, but sometimes it’s a bit annoying.
But saying that would only make him deflate, so I swallowed the words.
In a bleak world like this, a bit of stress was probably good.
“You all worked hard completing the shelter. Now I will assign official ranks under Atlas Industries. Director Yoon Imsu, Design Team Leader Lee Mira, Production Team Leader Han Daeman, Operations Team Leader Kim Jihoon.”
The awakened Yoon Imsu would oversee overall operations.
Judging from the large core in her brain, Lee Mira had a high probability of gaining a [High-Grade Trait] if she awakened. Designing the shelter structure alone already proved her competence.
Han Daeman, a B-Grade Awakened, possessed the trait [Metal Compression], so I assigned him to production.
As long as I provided raw materials, his ability could manufacture most items. That would free the workshop to produce more complex equipment.
Kim Jihoon, a C-Grade Awakened, possessed [Milling Hands], essentially a minor version of Porter’s [Super-Vibration Ram].
His fingertips produced ultra-high-speed vibrations capable of cutting even metal.
With that precision processing ability, I planned to have him create complex machinery and prototypes—and then swallow the blueprints.
Since he was a perfectionist, if I threw him some ideas and samples, he would likely produce excellent designs.
“We will do our best, Representative!”
The officers bowed deeply.
The pride and sense of belonging from becoming members of the powerful Atlas faction filled their eyes with life.
“I’ve brought all the necessary equipment and facilities in those containers. Begin interior construction.”
Leaving that short order, I departed.
There was research to do.
When the engineers opened the containers, screams erupted.
“My god… all of this is ammunition? 5.56mm rounds, grenades, even 7.62mm… the boxes don’t end!”
“From now on we’ll conduct live-fire drills and tactical training every day. The Representative said not to spare ammunition.”
A faction making production-type Awakened participate in combat—unless the base was collapsing—was unheard of.
And training?
Han Daeman let out a hollow laugh.
“Don’t spare ammunition? Out here a single bullet is worth a grain of rice…”
They could feel the Bomb Maker’s trust, but the reach of Atlas’s power was impossible to imagine.
From Kang Sinhyeok’s perspective, it was simply because he couldn’t show them the workshop.
“Move everything to the armory on the first floor. There are four directions, so distribute them properly.”
“Then I’ll handle the inventory count.”
At Yoon Imsu’s words, Lee Mira, confident with numbers, stepped forward.
The first and second basement floors of the shelter were intended for food storage and survival infrastructure.
“The Representative told us to leave one wall empty. Why?”
Kim Jihoon asked curiously.
Yoon Imsu gave a faint smile.
“Well, I don’t know either. Let’s move the food first.”
At his order, the engineers began unloading items from the containers.
They were carrying heavy, unfamiliar packs.
“I haven’t seen these in a long time.”
One soldier turned a pack over in his hands with admiration.
It wasn’t transparent plastic showing the contents.
Instead, it was silver-gray opaque material that completely blocked the contents—[vacuum compression packs] hardened like bricks after air removal.
“Yeah… vacuum packaging. Haven’t seen that since supermarkets before the collapse.”
Kim Jihoon clicked his tongue.
Mapo Police Station Shelter was a fortress in terms of defense, but it lacked refrigerators or preservation facilities.
Knowing that, Sinhyeok had smoked and vacuum-sealed food in the workshop beforehand to maximize shelf life.
The empty wall was reserved for refrigerators to be installed later.
“What’s inside these? They’re pretty heavy.”
Curious, Han Daeman picked up one pack.
“Let’s open one for inspection.”
Rip.
As the tightly sealed package was opened, instead of a foul smell, something dazzling spilled out.
Rustle—
What fell onto the floor were not white gemstones.
“H-huh? R-rice?!”
Not yellowed, insect-infested old rice.
It was pure white polished rice, glossy as if freshly milled.
Grain itself wasn’t extremely rare for Awakened anymore due to the drastically reduced population.
But quality differences were immense.
The rice distributed in normal shelters was half husks and stones, crawling with weevils.
Even Choi Manseok, the owner of Guro Foundry, ate yellow-tinged mid-grade aged rice.
“This… is top-tier.”
Yoon Imsu trembled as he picked up a handful.
“This is the kind eaten by field-grade officers in the Capital Defense Command.”
Most grain now came from exports from Europe and the United States.
Rice, not being their staple, was therefore the most precious.
Looking at the brilliant white grains suddenly made their mouths water.
“Finish the work quickly and cook rice. I can’t stand it.”
Koreans ran on rice, after all.
Just imagining steaming bowls of white rice filled them with energy.
“Uh? Director, this pack feels different. It’s soft.”
Another soldier opened a red-marked pack.
Hiss—
As the vacuum released, this time a smell burst out first.
The scent of oak smoke and savory meat.
“Jerky?!”
Inside was not dried leather-like jerky, but vivid red [smoked Beak-Chicken jerky].
It still held moisture and oil—premium jerky that made mouths water just by looking.
Gulp.
The sound of swallowing echoed around the room.
Their lives were better than when they lived in Mapo Shelter, but they still hadn’t eaten their fill in years.
Guro Foundry had no healer.
Eating unpurified meat caused poisoning.
Awakened could eat small amounts of mutant meat safely, but it was barely enough to taste.
Their only protein source had been rationed Beak-Chicken meat.
And now, a mountain of freshly smoked red meat lay before them.
“Are we really allowed to eat all of this?”
Yoon Imsu carefully gathered every grain of rice from the floor.
“Didn’t you hear the Representative? ‘Those who do not work shall not eat.’ In other words, those who work will eat until they burst. Stop drooling and move the supplies! Tonight’s dinner is rice and meat soup!”
“Wooo!”
Cheers filled the underground storage.
The soldiers carrying containers moved as lightly as feathers.
More than overwhelming firepower or perfect fortifications, white rice and jerky created deeper loyalty.
After organizing the food storage, the next step was the core of living infrastructure.
The communal shower facility.
“Careful lowering that! Each one contains one [F-Grade Core]—they’re valuable!”
Han Daeman barked orders while reading the installation manual, sweat dripping down his face.
Soon four enormous silver tanks were installed in the basement pipe room.
They were [Mana Purification Tanks].
When connected to the underground well the raiders had drilled during Karambit’s occupation, a deep mechanical sound filled the room.
Rumble—whir.
When the valve opened, crystal-clear water poured out.
“Wow…”
One soldier caught some water in his hands and drank.
“There’s no fishy smell or chemical odor!”
“With four tanks connected in parallel, even if 500 people shower and drink every day, there will still be surplus capacity.”
“How did they even build something like this?”
Even production-type Awakened could not comprehend such technology.
“If you try to analyze it, your head will explode. Let’s just be grateful and use it!”
“That’s right! Connect the pipes! Tonight everyone takes a proper bath!”
Installing pipes and tiles was hard work.
But smiles never left their faces.
Being able to use clean water freely.
That alone already made this place feel like heaven.
The work continued above ground.
From the second to fourth floors, office spaces were completely renovated into comfortable living quarters.
Instead of chicken-coop-like barracks, the rooms were spacious four-person quarters.
Once the beds and steel lockers from the containers were installed, the bleak police station began to feel like a real place to live.
“This is… so nice it’s almost unsettling.”
“If you have time to be uneasy, keep working. The most important part remains.”
Yoon Imsu called Kim Jihoon.
Now it was time for the fortress’s finishing touch.
“Jihoon, ready?”
“Yes, Director. Let’s begin.”
Kim Jihoon adjusted his gloves and activated [Milling Hands].
Where his fingers touched, solid concrete shaved away like butter.
Whir—scrape scrape.
At corridor intersections, stair landings, and key choke points, precise square recesses were carved.
The soldiers following behind installed [Atlas Guardian Mk.2] lightweight modules.
Small indoor defense turrets using 5.56mm rifle rounds.
Click.
The moment the module fit perfectly into the wall, something astonishing happened.
Without connecting a single wire, a brilliant green light appeared on the turret sensor.
“Wait… we didn’t connect power, right?”
Han Daeman asked in disbelief.
“No. We weren’t even told to do wiring.”
“Then how is it working? Where’s the power coming from? Data transmission?”
Their common sense couldn’t explain it.
Wireless communication like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth—common before the collapse—was now almost mythical.
Most communication relied on crackling radios or artifact-based U-Link terminals.
Yet dozens of turrets were exchanging data in real time, turning their heads like a single organism.
“Without wiring… the entire fortress is connected.”
Yoon Imsu felt chills run down his spine.
The hidden core of Atlas buried underground.
And the presence of the Bomb Maker watching everything from there.
A hotline connecting Mapo Police Station Shelter and the workshop rang.
As I reached casually for the receiver, Picker suddenly blocked me.
—Boss! Wait! I have something to show you!
“What are you doing?”
—Just watch, sir. Ahem.
Moments later, the voice of a man in his mid-twenties came from Picker.
“Hello. This is Thunder.”
I nearly burst out laughing, but Picker shamelessly continued the call.
So that was why he asked for a voice module after requesting an LED screen.
From the receiver came Yoon Imsu’s tense voice.
[Ah, Mr. Thunder. This is Yoon Imsu. Construction of the shelter and defensive systems has been completed 100%. Please report to the Representative.]
—Heh heh. Worked perfectly.
Picker winked and replied.
“I’ve received the report. The Representative is currently absent, so I’ll relay instructions. Based on the completed design, produce a downgraded shelter blueprint without convenience facilities.”
[Pardon? Downgraded?]
“Exactly. Remove showers, cafeteria, and private bedrooms. Convert living areas into dormitories filled with triple bunk beds like cages. Leave only the defensive walls and turret installation points. That is the Representative’s order.”
Murmuring voices came from the receiver before Han Daeman cut in.
[Wait a second, Mr. Thunder. If we want to show off our technology, shouldn’t we build something more luxurious and sell it at a higher price? Maybe you should confirm with the Representative…]
Picker scolded him sternly.
“Director Han. Do you still not understand? When people are full and comfortable, they grow lazy. Giving heaven like this to those who lack the will to defend themselves in harsh environments is nothing but poison.”
“…Ah.”
“The Representative is not a philanthropist. The shelters we sell will be a trial ground. We will sell them only to verified survivor groups and observe whether they can withstand external threats and grow stronger. Only those who endure that hell and survive will be worthy of standing under Atlas’s banner.”
Huh.
Not bad.
He was packaging my selection strategy quite convincingly.
[I see… so there was deeper meaning. Our thinking was shallow.]
Yoon Imsu nodded in admiration.
They had also grown sick of freeloaders at Guro Foundry, so they quickly accepted this harsh philosophy.
[One more question. With the current scale, Mapo Police Station could house 500 people. Isn’t that far larger than our group? Managing it will be difficult.]
“Director Yoon. Considering the people who will gather here in the future, even this will feel small. The Representative’s vision extends far beyond Mapo District.”
At that moment—
A sharp siren rang out from the speakers embedded in the fortress walls.
WEEEEE—