Chapter 5, Civil Air Defense Engineering

Originally, these civil air defense projects were not designed for long-term residential use; they were created solely for short-term refuge.

Subway stations and large underground shopping malls are increasingly being planned as future underground cities

Under the overall planning and strong control of the state, the majority of the shelters have been completed on schedule, and the supply reserves are in place, ready to accommodate the public for refuge.

The high temperatures generated by meteorite impacts, along with the ensuing clouds of dust and toxic smog, will render the Earth's surface uninhabitable for humans for the next one hundred years. Sub-zero temperatures of several tens of degrees and prolonged nights will be the only scenes that humanity can witness on the surface for the coming decades, if not centuries.

In such circumstances, the shelters transformed from underground civil defense projects will become the last refuge where humanity can survive and reside for the next several decades or even centuries

At this time, in these regions, humanity has reverted to a primitive state of survival of the fittest, where humans are not much stronger than beasts. The only thing they contemplate is how to survive

This is actually one of the functions reserved during the construction and planning of the subway station

All tasks are being carried out in a tense and orderly manner. Although some individuals may attempt to create disturbances or seize resources during this period of public anxiety, under the premise of a state of emergency declared by the government, it is no longer the police but the military that is responsible for maintaining public order. Those who wish to court disaster will naturally find themselves facing a strong response from the military, thus fulfilling their desires.

Although this is similar to the way people in other regions still think under order, the methods by which both parties achieve this goal are vastly different

As the famous saying of the founding emperor goes, "To preserve the land while losing the people is to lose both the land and the people; to preserve the people while losing the land is to preserve both the people and the land." As long as people are alive, a city can be rebuilt even if it is lost, but if the people are gone, who will carry out the post-disaster reconstruction

In fact, even among the five major powers of Blue Planet, only Yan Country, where the government has a high degree of control over the nation, is in the best condition. Although Britain and Gaul have not fallen into a state of disorder, their societies remain chaotic, with numerous demonstrations and riots continuing to exhaust the efforts of both governments

However, in the face of the impending apocalyptic disaster, the entire nation has entered a state of emergency. All human and material resources of the municipal departments have been devoted to the renovation of existing civil defense projects. The government also encourages individuals to excavate their own shelters, thus no one pays attention to the underground bunker that Chen Xin has dug himself.

Food will not be in short supply for the country in the short term, as Yan Country's grain reserves are sufficient to feed the entire nation for three years. However, most of this grain is concentrated in granaries across the country, and it is now necessary to transport and distribute the grain from the granaries to the designated shelters in various cities.

In addition to the renovation of civil defense projects, the stockpiling of various materials has also become a key focus for the country in responding to disasters

In countries where the government's control is insufficient, society has already fallen into a state of collapse

During World War II, when Germany bombed London, the citizens of London managed to survive the relentless bombardment by taking refuge in the underground stations

Small countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America are facing a crisis of hierarchy due to the government's lack of capacity to respond. At this point, the order of the entire nation has collapsed, and society has entered a state of chaotic disorder

For a bag of food, people in these regions may resort to gunfights, leading to loss of life; a human life may even be deemed less valuable than a piece of bread

Now, in the face of potential meteorite impacts, the nation is not only actively defending but also vigorously transforming these civil defense projects into shelters that can accommodate residents for long-term habitation

In the past, other countries might have extended a helping hand to these regions amidst chaos and the disasters they faced, but now every nation is preoccupied with its own issues. Even the five strongest nations of Blue Star, which are in the best situation, can only ensure their own survival in the face of this global catastrophe

Civil air defense projects have been a nationwide initiative in Yan Country since the 1970s. Although they do not prominently display their presence, there are actually numerous civil air defense projects in major cities, which people generally overlook in their daily lives

For instance, underground parking lots in shopping malls or residential communities, apart from the heavy lead-gray iron doors at the entrances and exits as well as within, seem to lack any particular features. However, in reality, these are civil defense projects. These underground parking lots possess the capability of three defenses and can serve as air raid shelters and refuges during wartime, even in the context of nuclear warfare.

At the same time, considering that the potential impact site of the meteorite could be the Pacific Ocean, the coastal population was evacuated to inland areas. Although this caused significant losses to the national economy, in the face of a potentially massive tsunami, the country could not prioritize minor economic interests over the safety of hundreds of millions of people along the southeastern coast.

After all, facilities like subway stations, which are deeply buried underground and can connect with other subway stations, are indeed an excellent choice for transforming into an underground city

As for Russia, the situation is considerably better than that of Britain and Gaul, especially since, as a former superpower, Russia has inherited most of the legacies of the former red regime. In facing this global catastrophe, thanks to these red legacies, along with its geographical environment and climatic conditions, Russia has not experienced significant chaos, and the situation is much better than that of Britain and Gaul.

Therefore, on one hand, the nation collaborates with countries around the world to actively respond to the arrival of meteors, while on the other hand, municipal departments and engineering personnel across the country have also been mobilized to upgrade and transform these civil defense projects, as well as, more critically, to expand them

As humanity is likely to reside underground for the next few decades or even centuries, it has become essential to renovate these civil defense structures

As the only existing superpower on Blue Star, the situation of the Federation appears somewhat peculiar

Especially after a meteorite impact, the resulting short-term high temperatures and extreme cold will impose higher requirements on the ventilation and air exchange facilities of these civil defense projects

In just a few short months, the country must prepare both a plan to respond to meteorite impacts and conduct nationwide disaster preparedness. Even in a country like Yan, which has a government with strong control, it is necessary to mobilize the entire nation and unite as one in order to barely complete most of the work within such a short timeframe

In fact, Chen Xin's act of excavating a shelter in advance is illegal from a procedural standpoint, as he has neither obtained civil construction approval nor submitted an engineering report.