Feng Jun pointed to the two small robots next to the Quantum Computer and asked, "What are those two robots for?"
Han Chong shook his head and said, "I'm not sure about that either. They should be robots responsible for maintaining the Quantum Computer's operation. For specific details, you can ask the artificial intelligence in the Refuge."
"Artificial intelligence? Where is she?" Feng Jun asked.
"She can be said to be anywhere in the Refuge. The Director's authority has been given to you. You can see her anywhere in the Refuge whenever you need to," Han Chong said, pointing to Feng Jun's IEM terminal on his arm. "The artificial intelligence's name is Ling Jiu. You can call her now."
"Ling Jiu~." Feng Jun immediately called out. After the two words were spoken, a virtual female projection immediately appeared in front of Feng Jun.
"Hello, new Refuge Director. Primary Intelligent Artificial Intelligence Ling Jiu is at your service anytime," a sweet female voice came from beside his ear, with no hint that it was a synthesized electronic sound.
Ling Jiu was the primary intelligent artificial intelligence configured in this Refuge, and it could also be said that she was the Refuge itself. In the Doomsday timeline, AI development had long surpassed the present by countless years, but the application of artificial intelligence was extremely cautious. Even the manufacturing of robots with 100% human-like appearance was strictly prohibited. Moreover, the higher the level of artificial intelligence, the higher the requirements for the host body. The primary intelligent artificial intelligence installed in the Refuge was already among the top-tier artificial intelligence in the Doomsday.
Feng Jun walked around Ling Jiu's virtual image. Just by looking at her appearance, she was identical to a real human, even more perfect than most human females. She wore a classical Hanfu, with a neat bun hairstyle adorned with a hairpin. She appeared to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, with skin as delicate as congealed fat, looking like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting.
"Is the new Director admiring my appearance? I might get a little nervous if you look at me like that." Ling Jiu clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest, appearing somewhat nervous.
Feng Jun said nothing, reaching out his right hand towards Ling Jiu's chest. As expected, his right hand passed directly through Ling Jiu's image. Ling Jiu's image also began to tremble due to Feng Jun's interference, becoming somewhat distorted.
"Such a realistic virtual projection, I can't tell where you're being projected from," Feng Jun said, withdrawing his hand.
"The entire Refuge is equipped with sensors and projection devices. I can appear anywhere in the Refuge as long as someone needs me," Ling Jiu took a step back, placing her hands in front of her and smiling.
Feng Jun looked up at the ceiling and the surrounding walls, but found no sign of any projections or sensors. He asked, "Are all Refuges configured like this?"
"No, QD10096 Shelter is a research-oriented Refuge. It corresponds to the 'Nirvana Project' formulated by the Imperial Government. Its purpose is to cope with the potential regression of human civilization after a nuclear war. It is internally equipped with an experimental-grade Quantum Computer, as well as a primary intelligent artificial intelligence to assist human research. The personnel reserves include 200 outstanding researchers and scientists in various fields. Corresponding scientific research equipment and laboratories are all configured within the Refuge. There are no more than one hundred such Refuges that have been built and put into use throughout the Ming Empire, with the aim of allowing survivors within the empire to quickly master technology, resume production, and re-establish a new empire after the war," Ling Jiu immediately replied to Feng Jun's question.
"Re-establish a new empire, huh. But it seems most of the people in the Refuge are ordinary citizens, and there aren't even 200 scientists, not even this Director..." Feng Jun smiled, looking at Han Chong, who was standing to the side. This guy was wearing a red jumpsuit. Although Feng Jun wasn't looking down on him, Feng Jun couldn't associate him with a scientist.
"Uh~ the war broke out too quickly, and the Refuge was also forced to open," Ling Jiu shrugged and explained, "When the war broke out, the Refuge had only completed the first and second levels. The original plan for the Refuge included a third level, but there was no time to continue construction. The original plan to gather 200 scientists from various fields also failed. Although only sixty scientists ultimately entered the Refuge, the remaining positions were filled by Imperial citizens. I believe these citizens will certainly be able to restore the glory of the empire together with the scientists in the post-war world."
"Alright, alright." Feng Jun didn't expect this Refuge to be a half-finished product, and it even had a Quantum Computer. However, this primary intelligent artificial intelligence didn't seem very intelligent, or perhaps its intelligence was limited by its creators.
For the remaining time, Feng Jun sent Han Chong away, telling him to return to the surface and await his arrangements, while he himself wandered around the Refuge.
The 100,000 square meter space of the Refuge was quite ample. Feng Jun explored both the first and second levels completely. The entire Refuge was built in a rather futuristic style, with virtual screens, automatic glass doors, and even small rail cars for transporting people, allowing for quick travel through the Refuge once boarded.
Below the second level of the Refuge, Feng Jun found the unfinished third level that Ling Jiu had mentioned. It seemed that if this Refuge were fully completed, its area would be even larger. Feng Jun also learned from Ling Jiu about the intended purpose of the third level.
In the Ming Empire's original plan, the third level of the Refuge was to be built as a fully automated robot production factory and a hibernation chamber capable of accommodating 500 soldiers, to produce various robots and large machinery after the war. Considering the sharp decline in population after the war, survivors who had just emerged from the Refuge would not have enough manpower to complete basic construction, so machines would be needed to replace human labor. However, the war broke out just as the third level began construction. Afterward, the Refuge was sealed according to plan, the people inside entered hibernation, and the world government chose to abandon this world for outer space, leaving this project unfinished.
Furthermore, Ling Jiu also told Feng Jun why the third level of the Refuge remained unfinished. The reason was naturally the corruption of the Ming Empire government. According to the original construction plan, this Refuge should have been completed in 2182, when the world's conflicts first began to emerge, but it was dragged out until 2190 before the first and second levels were completed.
The reason was that the Ming Empire had experienced several centuries of stability, and its internal officialdom was already riddled with corruption, otherwise, officials would not have betrayed and defected to the enemy at the start of the war. Finally, it was only after the war had fully erupted that the Refuge barely completed its first and second levels.
However, after communicating with Ling Jiu, Feng Jun also learned that the Refuges within the Ming Empire were divided into four grades: Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D. Class D Refuges were composed of city subways, sewers, and air-raid shelters, and could only withstand half of the destruction in a war.
Class C Refuges were professional civilian Refuges, built underground on the outskirts of cities, generally 500-600 meters deep, depending on the geological structure. They were not equipped with enough hibernation chambers and were only reinforced against nuclear attacks. These Refuges were very large, usually exceeding 400,000 square meters, with large reserves of food and emergency supplies, and connected to deep groundwater. However, Class C Refuges had not undergone in-depth ecological transformation, and their internal life support equipment was only minimal, without underground farms or Quantum Computers. Entry into them for shelter did not require special screening; any Imperial citizen could enter.
The construction of Class B Refuges was even more meticulous, with sites chosen after detection of stable geological strata, and a depth reaching one thousand meters. The interior of the Refuge was equipped with ecological farms capable of a certain amount of food production, and large quantities of supplies and various equipment were stored. Entry into such Refuges required strict screening; only the wealthy and officials of the empire could enter.
However, Class B Refuges were not equipped with a large number of hibernation chambers; residents within them lived normally underground. They would be equipped with civilian-grade Quantum Computers or supercomputers, with all management authority concentrated in the hands of the Refuge's Director. The Director would use the computers in the Refuge to control the life and death of every resident. The daily food consumption and daily routines of residents would be strictly regulated, and even having children required the Director's approval after computer calculation.
Class A Shelter was a special Refuge specifically established by the empire, and those chosen to enter were designated elites of the empire, scientists, military officers, or the imperial royal family. The interior was not only equipped with hibernation chambers and underground farms, but Quantum Computers and artificial intelligence were also standard configurations. The selected imperial elites would enter hibernation capsules after entering, and when the Refuge's activation period was reached, the artificial intelligence in the Refuge would awaken the residents and guide them to re-establish human civilization in the wasteland.
Furthermore, Class A Shelter would also be equipped with a certain armed force for defense. If this Refuge had been completed and had accommodated enough 200 scientists and 500 soldiers as planned, plus the various robots produced on the production line, it would be enough to form a new force in the wasteland. However, fortunately, the third level of the Refuge was not completed; if it had been, there would have been nothing for Feng Jun to do. 500 former Imperial soldiers would be more than enough to deal with a bunch of mutated humans, and with various robots, even if Feng Jun wanted to target this place, he would have to think twice.
However, even an unfinished Class A Shelter was of immense help to Feng Jun, and he had already notified Yan Xin of this news. Upon learning that there was an experimental-grade Quantum Computer, Yan Xin was almost overcome with excitement and immediately rushed from Yanqing Industrial Park to the Refuge.
Although Feng Jun had now gathered a large number of talents from various industries for Yan Xin, including some professionals, these people were conducting research in very rudimentary conditions. While manufacturing Anti-corpse liquid was biological science, with the help of a Quantum Computer, their research speed could be greatly accelerated. Moreover, there was also a dedicated research area here, and conducting research in a professional laboratory would certainly greatly improve efficiency.
