Crossing the World
I - Shelters (Karen)

It is said that five thousand years ago people built a shelter for shelter. They claim that the world outside the shelter is dangerous. We were forbidden to leave this place.

I'm Karen. I was born and raised in this shelter without ever knowing what was really out there.

Actually about a thousand years ago, me and the entire next generation of the shelter were strictly trained. We were honed into a soldier who would later be sent out for an expedition. Unfortunately, my grades were never good so when the personnel selection arrived, I did not pass the selection and failed to enter the expedition.

When the squad consisting of one platoon - 30 people - began an expedition to the outside world, I let go of them with envy and frustration. Honestly, I was really upset at that time. My chance to see the outside world had to be delayed until the next selection was held. However, sometime after the expedition squad left the shelter, something strange happened to this place.

One by one the refugees fell ill and died shortly after. At first we were panicked to think that there had been an outbreak to carry out quarantine measures. However, all the drugs that we have painstakingly developed are of no use.

I still clearly remember the panic and unrest that occurred at that time. The atmosphere is really gripping.

Later we learned that the core of the planet is undergoing magnetic pole changes and causing high levels of radiation that can even penetrate the shelter. Anyone who is exposed long enough will experience organ failure and die horribly.

Realizing this, everyone began to focus on building protection capsules to protect us from radiation. So, for two years we have been trying our hardest to produce thousands of capsules that are enough to house all the refugees in the shelter. Of course, during those two years a lot of people fell and died suddenly.

The last thing I remember is that we entered the capsule almost simultaneously and did the cryonics process or what we call long-term hibernation.

It's been a thousand years since we slept in a capsule. I had woken up a month earlier and was checking every capsule there was to resurrect everyone.

"Radiation is stable. Maybe the magnetic pole's position is reversed now." I murmured just to comfort myself who was lonely.

In front of me lay a middle-aged man inside capsule number 993. I watched him expectantly, looking at the status screen that brought up nothing at all. I forcefully opened the capsule and held the middle-aged man's neck inside.

"Cold. But it's definitely not the extreme cold."

The process of cryonics uses liquid nitrogen to freeze all the cells of the body to stop metabolism. So, this person should have been at an extreme cold temperature. However, just like the other capsules, his body was only as cold as a corpse.

I sighed, disappointed in my only hope.

"Is this the last one?" I looked at the surveillance cameras that were pointing at me.

The Shelter has an AI program that is integrated with the entire electronic system in this place. He is the one who controls everything as long as we do the cryonics process.

"really. All the capsules were inspected and 99.9998% were damaged. You are the only one who managed to be revived after the pole change."

Why is everything like this? I thought seeing my parents lying stiff in the capsule was a nightmare, it turned out to be nothing compared to the fact that I was the only resident of this shelter.

"How can it be broken?"

"We made him too hasty. Even the trial was only conducted twice without proper procedures. It's only natural that everything dies."

"Don't tell me it's natural, fucking AI! And not all of them are dead, I'm still alive!"

My frustration culminated when I heard her casual chatter as if it was nothing.

"Yah~ thank God that anyone is still alive. As compensation for my negligence in rescuing other refugees, I will give you full authority. Your access rights are now upgraded to administrator level."

"Hee~ should I be happy to hear it?"

"Of course not. The energy of this shelter will soon run out. The hydrogen outside the shelter is also thin. Water sources I cannot reach. If it continues like this, I will run out of energy and you will definitely follow those who are lying in the capsule."

Goddamnit! My situation is now completely outrageous. How could I have all these nightmares alone?

"Then how do I get fuel?"

"Actually very simple. You just need to fill a cubic kilometer of water into the fuel tank and I will last for a year. In the saving mode of course."

"Can't you use the water?"

"I didn't think you'd be this stupid. If I use the remaining water, you'll die of thirst."

Ugh.... This damn machine is mocking me again.

"Where should I get the water?"

"There's something out there called the sea. That place was a vast expanse filled with water and salt."

"Filled with salt?!"

"Don't you know? Out there is a sea of water so salty that you can't drink it."

That's impossible, isn't it? Salt is a pretty rare item. As with fresh animal meat and vegetables, purchases are severely restricted for every refugee. If only I could mine salt, I would definitely be rich!

"Originally you know, mining salt now is useless. No one's gonna buy it because you're the only survivor at the shelter."

Kuhh .. why does this stupid machine love to destroy my happy imagination? How do you know my head anyway?!

"I'll prepare one mecha to help you venture out and a firearm. You will also be equipped with a teleporter and a wireless communicator."

"Wait first. I was trained for the expedition, but I didn't pass the selection. There's still no permission for me to get out of the shelter."

"Who cares? I issued the permit anyway. Why bother passing the selection?"

Ah, right too. Hearing him talk made me remember something.

"How are the expedition teams heading out?"

Actually in the two years that we built the cryonic capsule, there were already two selections held to form a new team. However, as always, my grade was as bad as the first selection.

The expedition team also said that the outside world was quite safe. There are even primitive civilizations out there and we can trade with them. I wonder if those people survived and died of old age.

"They're out of contact a month after you've entered the capsule. It is likely that the ozone layer is damaged because of chaotic magnetic poles and cosmic radiation scorching land life. Hydrogen is even hard to come by now."

"And you want to send me to hell like that?!"

"Don't worry, I'm doing experiments during your sleep and modifying your body with satisfactory results."

"What the fuck?!" I was hugging my own body.

"Polar radiation will no longer affect you. A little cosmic radiation is okay, but you'll be charred if the temperature is extreme. Your ability to adapt has also improved. The point is you'll be safe exploring the outside world."

"That .. horrible. Now I'm a mutant."

"Together."

"I'm not praising you!"

I walked into a military warehouse and connected one of the wires attached to a computer into the electronic hole of my wrist. At once my view was filled with virtual writings that showed a variety of menus.

"Exoskeleton Armor, Cyborg, and Mobile Fortress? I've never seen this before."

"That's a right for military generals. You now have administrator rights. So, all the features are displayed."

"Then I want to use the exoskeleton and bring five cyborgs."

"You want my power to run out in one go? I'm short of power, you remember?"

Ah, goddamn. I was so excited and wanted to try these cool tools. Whatever, when I get the fuel, I make sure that I will put on all this luxury and destroy the world!

"So, what can you prepare?"

"One-unit T-13 type mecha, anti-tank gun, and gunpowder-powered submachine gun."

"What the hell is with that ancient equipment?!"

"There's no other choice. We have to skimp."

Hahh~

I sighed lazily while choosing the item he mentioned just now from the virtual menu display that was in front of me.

Moments later my consciousness began to divide, I could see another room that was far different from where I am now. Then, I started to step forward, but my body did not move at all. Even so, my other vision continued to draw closer towards the steel door.

One of the warehouse doors began to open with an annoying squeaking sound. My left eyeball stared at the door while my right eyeball remained focused on the virtual display before me.

From behind the door, a two-meter-high, black robot began to walk over to me. He carried a giant weapon in one of his hands.

My vision of a split consciousness was now staring at the figure of a little girl connected to a computer. When I make observations and use the zoom feature, I can see the left and right eyeballs focus apart. Yeah, it was myself.

I can divide my consciousness into five places and each eyeball can observe a different place. This allowed me to look at ten different places at a time and process all the information from that vision. Actually this is not something extraordinary considering that talented people are sometimes able to handle up to 20 consciousnesses at once. However, I was still lucky enough to master it even if it was only five consciousnesses.

Another robot now started walking into the room after I finished selecting the equipment and unplugging the connecting cable. He carried a pair of teleporter gloves integrated with thermal shields, an ancient submachine gun, a wireless communicator, a green cloth made of carbon primorial, and an ancient small pistol as a backup weapon.

"May you return safely." The robot was not controlled by me, but by the goddamn AI that had been raving since.

I put on all the gear she gave me and moved the left hand of the T-13 I controlled to be the seat. It was not very comfortable sitting on the palm of a giant robot, but I was too lazy to walk.

With this my journey outside the shelter is about to begin.

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Note :

At a time when the AI says "mild machine gun", it refers to all rifles that can fire continuously and can be moved. Simply put, the Mitraliur Gun (Sub-machine Gun); the Assault Rifle (Assault Rifle); and the Light Machine Gun (Light Machine Gun) will be referred to as "ancient light machine gun" by Karen and AI.