Just as Chen Hao's fingertips touched the doorknob, a muffled "bang" came from above.

He withdrew his hand and looked up. A corner of the tin roof was twitching and shaking in the wind. The wind from last night hadn't stopped; instead, it was blowing harder and harder. The howling outside sounded like someone scraping the bottom of a pot with a piece of iron, making one's teeth ache.

"Again?" he muttered, putting the toolbox on the ground and looking up to call out, "Nana, did that piece of aluminum foil fly away again?"

The light screen rose from the corner of the wall, and Nana's voice was as steady as the wind: "The roof panel on the east side has come off its fixed point, and a 37-centimeter crack has appeared at the joint. Thermal imaging shows that the temperature of the interlayer has dropped by eight degrees. If it is not dealt with, it will affect the operating efficiency of the heating pipes within four hours."

“I knew it wouldn’t last a night.” Chen Hao slapped his thigh, picked up his toolbox and walked towards the ladder. “When the blueprints were on the wall, I said this thing couldn’t withstand a strong wind, but you still insisted that it was ‘structurally sound’.”

“The assessment at the time was based on the assumption of no extreme weather.” She paused. “Your expression right now doesn’t match the words ‘I knew it.’”

"Stop analyzing my face." He stepped onto the ladder and moved up one step at a time, each step causing the metal frame to groan under the strain. "Right now, I just want to know, are we going to fix it, or wait until it completely falls apart and then use it as a tent?"

"I recommend immediate repair." The screen followed his movement, marking the red outline of the damaged area in the air. "The stock of high-polymer insulation boards can cover 30% of the area; the rest needs on-site reinforcement."

Chen Hao climbed onto the roof, and the wind blew his hat off. He reached out but couldn't grab it, so he gave up and squatted down by the crack. He reached inside and felt the cold air scraping his arm like blades from his sleeve.

"This isn't a crack, it's an open mouth." He withdrew his hand and rubbed his frozen fingers. "You're saying the new material can only repair 30%? What about the remaining 70%? Air?"

“According to the standard procedure, construction should be carried out in stages, with priority given to the core area.” Nana pulled up the materials list. “The insulation of nano-aerogel panels is six times that of ordinary materials, but the activity of the adhesive decreases in low-temperature environments, which poses a risk of delamination later.”

"So you're telling me to use some high-tech plaster and then pray it doesn't fall off by itself?"

There is no term for "plaster" in the technical terminology.

"Come on." Chen Hao stood up, squinting at the distant tundra. "We still have a few wolf pelts we skinned a couple of days ago. They're as hard as pot lids, but at least they're solid. How about we use them for a while? We can put your high-tech stuff on the inside and cover it with fur on the outside. It's better than letting the wind through."

Nana's screen flashed: "The original biological materials have three major hidden dangers: microbial growth, high humidity absorption rate, and easy embrittlement after long-term exposure. In addition, improper handling may release harmful volatile substances."

“We’re not staying in a five-star hotel.” Chen Hao tugged at his collar, exhaling a puff of white breath. “This is a shelter, not a laboratory. Anything that can block the wind is good material, don’t you think?”

"The logic is sound, but the priority order is incorrect. Stability should be the primary consideration."

"Stable my foot." He pointed at the crack. "Tell me now, when your precious material slowly activates the adhesive, won't the cold wind freeze and burst our heating pipes first?"

After a brief silence, Nana's projection shifted slightly, as if recalculating something.

"Based on current environmental data simulations, if only existing technological materials are used for single-layer coverage, the probability of peeling off after 72 hours is 63%. If a composite structure is adopted—an inner layer of aerogel + an outer layer of treated fur—the risk of peeling off can be reduced to 19%, and the short-term sealing efficiency can be improved."

"See, we're on the same page now, aren't we?" Chen Hao grinned, then coughed twice. "It's settled then, technology plus primitive technology, double insurance. Anyway, we're not exactly new to just coasting along."

“The plan has been recorded.” Her voice was flat. “But I must remind you that the fur must undergo basic anti-corrosion treatment, otherwise it will accelerate structural aging.”

“Okay, leave it to me.” He climbed halfway down from the roof, then turned back and asked, “Do you have the tools? Lye solution? A drying rack?”

"The knowledge base provides a simplified tanning process: soak in sodium hydroxide solution for two hours, rinse with water, and air dry at low temperature. Alternative cleaning agents are available in the base's storage locker B3 area and can be prepared temporarily."

“B3? Isn’t that where broken parts are piled up?” He frowned. “Never mind, there’s no other choice anyway.”

He dragged the box back to the ground and casually took two rolled-up animal hides from the wall. The hides were grayish-yellow, with dried bloodstains on the edges, and felt hard to the touch; they could be used as drums if struck.

"Do you think these things are actually usable?" He weighed them in his hand. "They look more like souvenirs."

“If handled properly, its fiber density can effectively block convective heat loss,” Nana said. “And its weight is much lower than that of metal sheets, making it suitable for laying at heights.”

"From what you're saying, you're actually giving me face." Chen Hao hoisted the pelt and walked towards the processing area. "Then let it do its last bit of work. Anyway, that wolf won't live a second life."

It took him twenty minutes to prepare the solution. As he stirred, he complained, "This ratio is like brewing Chinese medicine; even a single spoonful off can ruin it." The liquid began to foam, and a pungent odor rose up. He took a half step back. "I mean, is this stuff going to melt my hands?"

"As long as the concentration is controlled within the safe threshold and the contact time does not exceed three hours, there is no risk of tissue damage."

"What you're saying doesn't reassure me at all."

He dipped the pelts into the bucket, weighed them down with stones to prevent them from floating, and then sat down by the door to catch his breath. His shoulders were still aching; the aftereffects of carrying oil drums on foot yesterday hadn't subsided at all. Now he had to deal with these tough hides, and he felt like he was becoming the base's dedicated laborer.

"Do you think we're a new type of corporate slave?" He looked up at Nana. "We don't get paid for our jobs, and we have to buy band-aids out of our own pockets after get off work."

"You have never signed an employment contract."

"That line again!" He rolled his eyes. "I'm starting to suspect you've secretly memorized the labor law."

The processing lasted intermittently for more than three hours. He changed the water twice during the process, and almost cut his fingers on the edges while turning the fur over. When it was finally taken out and hung on the ventilation rack, the fur was softer and lighter in color, at least no longer resembling a coffin lid.

"Did you meet the standard?" He wiped his sweat.

"Preliminary test passed." Nana confirmed after scanning, "The fiber toughness has recovered to 74% of its original state, and it can be put into construction."

"Long live!" He raised a wrench as a microphone. "Tonight's headline: For the first time, humanity has successfully saved a high-tech civilization using animal skins."

The roof renovation began at 2 PM. The wind had subsided slightly, but it was still quite strong. Chen Hao was in charge of the paving, while Nana operated the robotic arm to assist in securing it from the side. The two coordinated their movements via walkie-talkie.

"Press it down another five centimeters on the left." He lay on the ground, pulling on the edge of the fur with one hand. "Yes, right there, nail it in place!"

The robotic arm precisely lowers the latch, locking the edge tightly onto the bracket.

"The right side is a little raised." He moved over and pressed it down. "Try it again, press lightly, don't tear the skin off."

"The output intensity has been adjusted to 40%."

"That's more like it." He took a breath. "Our teamwork is good enough to compete in a skills competition."

By evening, the entire area was sealed off. Infrared monitoring images were quickly transmitted back, showing that the previously reddish leak points gradually turned into a uniform orange, and the temperature difference returned to normal.

"The seal at the junction of the east wall and the roof is complete," Nana announced. "The current internal temperature has risen to 16.5 degrees Celsius and remains stable."

Chen Hao slumped down at the door of the tool shed, his gloves thrown aside, looking as if his bones had been removed. Fur scraps were stuck to him, his hair was full of ash, and there was a black mark on his face, making him look like he had just been dug out of a coal pile.

"Finally... it's done." He leaned back against the wall, eyes closed and motionless. "Wouldn't you say we saved the life of the most advanced technology using the most primitive method?"

"The conclusion is partially correct." Nana's screen flashed. "System prompt: It is recommended to re-inspect all seams within 72 hours, paying particular attention to the area where the adhesive meets the fur."

"I understand." He waved his hand. "We'll talk about tomorrow's problems tomorrow."

He sat for a while, then suddenly remembered something, struggled to get up, went to the corner, rolled up the remaining two intact furs, and leaned them against the wall. He deliberately chose a spot as close as possible to the sewing table, and even used wooden strips to weigh down the edges to prevent them from being blown away by the wind.

The cold wind still howled outside the window, while the lights inside remained steady. A faint sound of water flowing from the heating pipes emanated from the room, like some kind of low breathing.

He patted his fur and muttered, "You guys, take a break for a bit, you'll have to go on stage again in a couple of days."

Nana's projection floated silently in mid-air, the screen scrolling with the next phase of the maintenance plan.

Chen Hao yawned, rubbed his sore shoulders, and was about to get up and go back inside.

Just then, the edge of one of the fur coats suddenly twitched.