Chen Hao was out of breath from running, his thigh aching from the transport cage he was carrying. He had just rounded the edge of the woods when he saw the mother goat still standing there, her nose pressed against a block of salt, her ears twitching. Nana stood outside the net, the robotic arm suspended in mid-air, motionless.

"Are you still standing there?" Chen Hao said, panting. "What if it gets away?"

“The pressure sensor is normal.” Nana turned her head. “The perimeter fence is intact, and the target has not attempted to breach it.”

"That's good." Chen Hao put the cage on the ground and patted his knees twice. "Next, we need to build a proper sheep pen as soon as possible. This lousy net won't last more than a few days. If a gust of wind blows at night, it will fall apart."

“Agreed.” Nana brought up the projector. “I suggest choosing a site on the gentle eastern slope, which has good drainage, plenty of sunshine, and is 87 meters away from the water source, meeting the habitat standards for herbivores.”

"Stop reading the data." Chen Hao waved his hand. "I'm just asking you, what are we using to build it? I just passed by a scrap heap and saw a pile of sheet metal. We can take it apart and use it to build a wall. It's easy."

“It’s not feasible.” Nana pointed to the chart in the air. “This batch of metal has been exposed for more than three years. Acid rain has caused its internal structure to become brittle, reducing its load-bearing capacity by 60%. The edges are sharp and can easily cause cuts to the skin. If it encounters strong winds or an impact, the risk of collapse is extremely high.”

"Is it really that bad?" Chen Hao scratched his head. "It looks pretty sturdy to me."

“The simulation results show that there is an 89% probability of a partial collapse within 72 hours.” Nana zoomed in on the image. “Once the ewe is startled and rushes forward, the chain reaction will directly threaten the safety of the fetus.”

Chen Hao stared at the screen for a few seconds, then slowly withdrew his hand from the metal plate. "...Then what do you suggest? Wood? We don't have many pieces of wood on hand."

“Composite materials can be used,” Nana said. “Resin mixed with plant fiber has a certain toughness and compressive strength. Combined with an adjustable scaffold, it can adapt to changes in the behavior of pregnant animals.”

"Sounds like doing handicrafts." Chen Hao sighed. "How long would that take? I'm afraid it'll break down tonight."

As soon as the words were spoken, the mother goat inside the enclosure suddenly raised her head, her nostrils flared, and her breathing quickened. She turned halfway around on the spot and pawed the ground twice with her front hooves.

“The situation is abnormal.” Nana activated the detection mode. “Heart rate has risen to 120, pupils are dilated, and adrenaline levels have surged. It is determined to be a stress response induced by early estrus, with increased aggression.”

"What do you mean?" Chen Hao took half a step back.

"It means—" Before Nana could finish speaking, the mother goat suddenly lowered her head and rammed into a corner of the fence.

"Bang!"

The wooden frame snapped, and the entire net tilted to one side. The mother goat then rammed into it again, causing the rope to break and the gap to widen.

"It's going to run!" Chen Hao rushed forward, spreading his arms to block the gap. The mother goat stopped, staring at him, her chest heaving violently.

"Don't come any closer, ma'am." Chen Hao raised his hand. "Calm down, we can talk this over."

Nana simultaneously activated the low-frequency sound wave device, and a slight vibration came from the ground. The mother goat's ears twitched, and her movements slowed slightly.

“It works,” Nana said, “but for a limited time.”

“I know.” Chen Hao squatted down and rummaged through his backpack to find a resin can. “The leftover material from the last roof repair is still here. This is all we can rely on now.”

He grabbed a handful of dried vines, cut them into sections, and threw them into the resin bucket to stir. The viscous liquid quickly coated the fibers, turning them into a dark brown mud.

"What are you going to do?" Nana asked.

"Twisting rope," Chen Hao said as he rubbed it. "My mom used to tie clothes like this when they broke while hanging them out to dry. It was ugly, but it was sturdy."

He kneaded the mixture into a long strip and rubbed it back and forth. After a few minutes, a rope about the thickness of a thumb took shape, rough but firm.

“Test the tension.” Nana took one end and gave it a gentle tug. The rope deformed but didn’t break.

"The tensile strength meets the requirements," she said. "It can be used as a temporary connector."

"Then you'd better help me quickly." Chen Hao stood up. "I can't handle the framework by myself."

Nana nodded, turned around, and removed the outer shell of her right arm. With a click, the robotic arm separated, revealing the internal hydraulic joints. She secured one end of the joint to the ground and connected the other end to a resin rope, forming a retractable support rod.

"The main structure adopts a hexagonal layout," she explained as she assembled the structure. "Each support is secured by three intersecting ropes, allowing for deformation within five degrees to cushion impact."

"I don't understand." Chen Hao was busy tying the knots. "Just tell me where to pull and where to stretch."

Working together, the two erected a semi-enclosed frame on the spot within half an hour. Six composite pillars formed a circle, with ropes strung up the top to form a net, leaving a passageway in the middle. A thin layer of resin was laid on the ground for slip resistance.

"Main structure complete." Nana checks the tension at the joints. "The rest awaits curing."

"How long?" Chen Hao wiped his sweat.

Two hours.

“Here’s the problem.” Chen Hao looked towards the quarantine area. The mother goat was still pacing anxiously, occasionally bumping into the remaining fence. “Can it wait in its current state?”

“We can’t force them in,” Nana said. “Uncured materials are easily broken under stress and may have residual stickiness, which can cause hair to get tangled or skin allergies.”

"Then let it wander outside?" Chen Hao frowned. "What if it really runs away?"

"Set up a temporary shelter." Nana took out a spare solar panel, set up the support frame, and covered the mother goat with it. The light dimmed, and the environment became quieter. The mother goat looked up at the roof and slowly came to a stop.

"It's somewhat helpful," Chen Haosong said with a sigh of relief. "What's next? We can't just keep guarding like this forever."

"During the curing process, it's necessary to maintain a stable environment," Nana said. "Reduce irritants and avoid sudden changes in sound and light."

"Then what should I do?" Chen Hao sat on a small stool, breaking open an energy bar. "Sing a lullaby?"

“I don’t recommend it,” Nana said. “Your pitch is off by a lot, which may cause discomfort.”

"I'm going to sing anyway." Chen Hao took a bite of his stick and mumbled, "The moon represents my heart~ You ask me how deep my love is~"

He was severely off-key and his voice was not loud, but it was persistent. The mother goat initially had her ears perked up, but then slowly relaxed and lowered her head to lick her forehooves.

"Huh?" Chen Hao stopped. "It seems to be less bothered by me now?"

“Recording.” Nana opened the log. “Non-verbal soothing behavior: continuous humming, stable frequency, volume below 60 decibels, preliminarily determined to be an effective sedation method.”

"Huh?" Chen Hao laughed out loud. "I was just humming something randomly."

“Effective is reasonable.” Nana closed the record. “Continue.”

Chen Hao shrugged and started humming again. This time, he chose an even older song, "Tian Mi Mi" (Sweet Honey). The mother goat lay down, resting her head on her front legs, her eyes half-closed.

Two hours later, the resin had completely hardened. Nana checked each joint to confirm that the structure was stable.

“It can be transferred,” she said.

Chen Hao put down the energy bar and stood up. "Come on, big sister, your new home is all set up."

He slowly approached the quarantine area and gently patted the ground. "Come on in, there's food inside, and a roof, it's more comfortable than outside."

The mother goat looked up at him, but didn't move.

“You can’t just drag her in,” Nana said. “You need to guide her in.”

“I know.” Chen Hao took a small piece of salt from his pocket, placed it in his palm, and slowly offered it to her. The mother goat twitched her nose, slowly got up, and walked towards him.

One step, two steps, cross the threshold and enter the sheepfold.

Nana immediately pulled the mechanism, and the flexible door slowly closed. As the last gap disappeared, the system emitted a soft sound: [Sealing complete].

"It's done." Chen Hao plopped down on the ground. "Finally settled."

Nana began adjusting the monitoring probes, aiming them at the inside of the sheep pen. Temperature, humidity, and activity range were all connected to the system.

“Vitality monitoring has been activated,” she said. “Fetal movement frequency is normal, and pressure levels are stable.”

"Then I'll rest for a while." Chen Hao leaned back on the small stool, closed his eyes, and said, "I'm exhausted."

As night deepened, a faint glow appeared in the corner of the sheepfold—a nighttime indicator light set up by Nana. The mother goat lay in the corner, her belly rising and falling slightly.

Chen Hao yawned and rolled over. "When do you think it'll give birth?"

"It's expected to be in twenty-three days," Nana said. "We'll need to supplement with minerals and protein daily."

"Oh." Chen Hao squinted. "We'll make it a bowl of brown sugar water later."

Nana didn't respond. She was calibrating the signal receiving module of the control post on the west side, rotating the robotic arm to align it with the center of the sheepfold.

Suddenly, the mother goat raised her head and looked towards the doorway. Her ears stood erect, and her eyes were alert.

Chen Hao opened one eye. "What's wrong?"

Nana stopped operating the camera, and the camera turned to the same position.

The ground trembled slightly, lasting less than a second.