Apocalypse Shelter Administrator

Life in the Shelter for Women (2)

Although the women only stayed within the confines of the camp, they could sense that the city was in a sort of alert state. Especially those women who had lived in the underworld, where intuition was a matter of survival. They quickly picked up on the subtle changes in the atmosphere.

Depending on where they worked, they had learned to swiftly catch even the smallest change in the expression or gestures of the men they were serving. They had seen women get slapped, or worse, for failing to do so.

[This is classified information. Residents, please refrain from such inquiries. The city is safe. Relax and rest your weary minds and bodies. You are welcome here.]

A curious woman had asked a question through the screen responder, but she couldn’t get any useful answers.

“Her name is Rose, right?”

Another woman watching alongside her asked.

“She’s not a person, but a machine. More precisely, an artificial intelligence.”

No matter how much they fiddled with the touch panel, they couldn’t retrieve any new information beyond what they already knew. Opportunities to communicate with the city's administrator was extremely limited, and even then, it was mostly a one-way, top-down process.

It has been determined that for effective control, at least one example is necessary. The warning about the "example," or exile, was firmly etched into the minds of all the women. In these times, exile essentially meant death.

The second AI was Rose, the security manager. Her voice was more frequently encountered. She managed order during daily activities like meals, baths, and any other communal actions, and she intervened whenever any rule-breaking occurred.

[Entering the dining hall. Please maintain order.]

At mealtime, Rose’s crisp voice echoed through the speakers installed throughout the area. The women standing in line outside the large dining hall wore looks of anticipation. Eating was the highlight of life in confinement, after all. Especially for those women who had been on the brink of starvation until recently.

[You are being provided with meals that contain all the necessary nutrients. This is of the highest quality, even when compared to any correctional facility you previously inhabited.]

Furthermore, the meals provided here were of higher quality than any prison food. But wherever you go, there will always be complaints. Some women, mainly from the former prison warden section, argued that "people can't live on just food" and demanded snacks or additional treats.

[Here, luxuries are equivalent to indulgences. Do you want something sweet? Then contribute to the community. Appropriate work will soon be assigned to you.]

Most of these conversations followed a pattern of requests being denied, but at times, physical control measures were also enforced. The first notable incident was the bathhouse crackdown. Sexual crimes are not uncommon in prisons, and same-sex interactions aren’t unique to men's prisons.

Moreover, this particular camp had two unique characteristics. The first was that the majority of the residents had been in a state of extreme survival mode. When one feels threatened with death, a primal instinct to leave descendants before dying can trigger intense sexual desire.

At the offshore prison, people were too weak from hunger, and they smelled so bad from not being able to wash that sexual thoughts were a distant concern. But now, they were well-fed, had no labor duties, and were full of energy. With the sense of safety, and their bodies and clothes being clean, their repressed desires erupted all at once.

Also, after the outbreak of war, older female prisoners had been pardoned or sent to the South, leaving only women under 40 in the offshore prison. Everywhere you looked, there were only young women, so it was inevitable that those with lustful intentions felt their blood boil.

The second unique factor was the collapse of the world. If the world were still functioning, the women might have found ways to cope or suppress their urges. But now, the prospect of finishing their sentences and rejoining society in a man’s arms had become an impossible dream. In truth, the “society” now essentially consisted of just this camp.

“This is practically a life sentence, isn’t it?”

Someone had shouted this realization aloud, and it was indeed true. Once they reached that conclusion, women began touching others around them, no longer seeing any reason to hold back. Some formed consensual, discreet relationships, but many tried to force themselves on others.

Their hunting ground was primarily the bathhouse. It was a place where everyone was naked, the temperature was warm, and after finishing, they could immediately wash off. A truly optimized location for such acts. Crucially, it was the one place where the guards did not patrol.

Surveillance was present, but the lack of physical patrols made it a prime spot. The targets were usually timid-looking women, but there were always those who resisted fiercely, leading to brawls. Whenever that happened, Rose would intervene without fail.

[Physical or sexual violence is prohibited. Such acts disrupt community order and waste medical resources.]

Those caught in the act were detained and punished according to the severity of their actions.

[It’s easy to knock down a pile of bricks, but rebuilding them takes significant effort. Those who break the rules will pay a price heavier than the chaos they caused.]

Rose’s control was fair but strict. That’s typical of an AI, after all.

But what about the only human in charge, Seo Jinsoo? On the third day of their arrival, he had given a public address via a citywide broadcast.

[Welcome to our city. This is Aegis Civil Defense City, Camp-type No. 1, abbreviated as Shelter.

I received Warden Lee Seyoung's distress signal from the offshore prison and rescued you, bringing you here.

In both society and prison, there have always been rules to follow. Similarly, this city has various regulations. In some ways, they may be stricter than where you came from. Unlike an open city, here, a single person’s recklessness can endanger the entire community.

For example, lighting a fire outside of designated areas without permission will result in severe punishment. Refusal to work without valid reason may also lead to the maximum penalty of exile. Even littering, which you might have done carelessly in the outside world, will be met with significant consequences here.

Everything is for the sake of eternal sustainability. While you may not have signed a contract, by accepting our help and entering this city, we consider you to have agreed to these terms. The quality of life you experience here will fall somewhere between that of a free person before the outbreak and a prisoner. I guarantee it will be better than the life of any survivor on Earth right now.

Dear residents, this place is safe. There is plenty of food and water, and you will not suffer from the cold. If you follow our rules and actively contribute to production, those who excel will receive appropriate rewards.

For now, you live in the limited area of the camp, but once all quarantine procedures are complete and necessary administrative tasks are finalized, you will move on to better accommodations.

As time passes, there will come a point when you no longer concern yourself with many things. Things like which nation we once belonged to or how to prepare for the future that lies ahead. None of that matters. That task belongs to us, the ones leading this city.

All the residents need to do is carry out the work assigned to them, adhere to the city's rules, and follow our instructions. Then, the stable and abundant living conditions you enjoy now will continue indefinitely.]

He was the only official resident of the city, with the highest level of authority. Moreover, the achievements shown on the informational screens and the images of him fighting in various scenes were so impressive that they resembled something out of a movie.

Because of that, to the women, his presence felt somewhat unreal. His immense power and seemingly unbelievable accomplishments made him feel distant, almost like a fictional character.

But things changed slightly when Jinsoo returned from his first expedition. The signs of battle were evident everywhere. The sight of him unloading the spoils of the expedition from his vehicle was broadcast throughout the entire shelter.

As they watched, the women began to feel a sense slowly awakening within them, one long forgotten in modern life. A primal instinct that had been embedded in their DNA since ancient times: hunting and reward. The sight of a man returning from battle with spoils filled a void, instantly closing the gap between the women and Jinsoo.

As the women began to adjust to life in the shelter and after Jinsoo successfully completed his expedition, the job aptitude tests finally began the next day.