Chen Hao examined the testing device several times, turning it over and over; the scratch on the casing was still very obvious. He sighed. This thing had been used for almost two months, with parts pieced together from various sources; it was lucky it had lasted this long.

He didn't rush off; instead, he returned to the main control area and casually checked the energy module's consumables statistics. A bunch of data popped up on the screen, and after staring at it for two seconds, his brows slowly furrowed.

"Nana, how many stabilizing rings are left in the anti-gravity unit?"

"We have three in stock," she said. "We used seven last month and have already applied for replacements for five this month."

"We've made so many floating flower pot stands, do we need to equip each one with one?"

"yes."

"What about the resin masterbatch?"

"Eighteen percent remain, expected to be exhausted within ten days."

"Metal connectors?"

"The available quantity is less than 40 percent of the design load."

Chen Hao plopped down in a chair, staring up at the ceiling. The energy system had just been stabilized, the biogas digester had just been built, and he was finally able to eat comfortably—and now he was being told—it was all over?

Why didn't you say so earlier?

"The warning threshold was not reached previously."

"Have you reached it yet?"

"Yes. If the current expansion rate is maintained, all non-core systems will be shut down due to missing components in two weeks."

He raised his hand and scratched his head. All those automatic watering racks, the adjustable sofas, the robotic arms in the kitchen, and even his favorite goat milk heating timer… were they all going to break down?

"How many times have the surrounding ruins been cleared?"

"Thirteen times. Recyclable metals and synthetic materials have been reduced to zero."

"Then what do we do? Wait for parts to fall from the sky?"

"It is recommended to head north into the unexplored area to search for new resource points."

Chen Hao forced a smile, but it didn't come across as genuine. The northern wilderness was completely blank on the map, without a single marker. Last time they passed through, their sled nearly froze to death on the road; the wheels got stuck in a crevice in the ice, and Nana had to pry it out bit by bit with her robotic arm.

"Is it absolutely necessary to go?"

"yes."

Do you have a car?

"The sleds are ready to run after inspection."

"Do we have enough fuel?"

"A round trip is barely enough, but travel time needs to be controlled."

He stood up and dusted off his pants. "Fine, I'm just killing time anyway. I can't just watch my flowerpot fall and hit me on the head."

Half an hour later, the sled started. The engine made a few noises before igniting, and a plume of white smoke billowed from the exhaust pipe. Chen Hao pulled his coat tighter around himself, got into the driver's seat, and Nana stood in the passenger seat, the robotic arm retracted behind her.

"Is the navigation set up?"

"Target area coordinates have been entered; estimated travel time is four hours."

"Don't let anything happen along the way."

"It cannot be guaranteed."

"You really dare to tell the truth."

The snowfield was flat, but the wind was strong. The sled moved forward, its chassis occasionally hitting frozen clods of earth, making their teeth ache. Chen Hao held the steering wheel with one hand, while constantly rubbing his face with the other to prevent it from freezing.

After walking for more than two hours, the sky remained unchanged, still a hazy gray. The distant horizon began to undulate, as if something was buried under the snow.

What's ahead?

"Topographical scanning revealed an abnormal vegetation cover with a loose structure."

"Will it pass?"

"We recommend taking an alternate route."

Chen Hao glanced at the fuel gauge; there was only a little over half left. Taking a detour meant a longer distance and more fuel consumption.

"Is there a shorter route?"

“There is a route that passes through the center of the area, saving twenty-seven minutes.”

"Let's go that way."

"The risk level has been raised to level six."

"It's okay, I drive steadily."

The words had barely left his mouth when the wheels rolled over what appeared to be a solid patch of snow, only to suddenly collapse beneath it. The car lurched, the front wheels sinking into a muddy substance, and continued to sank deeper.

"Damn it!" Chen Hao stepped on the gas, the wheels spun freely, splashing up a cloud of dark green mud.

“Stop the power output,” Nana said. “Continuing to struggle will only accelerate the sinking.”

He released his foot, and the car stopped moving, but it didn't float up either. Small bubbles rose from the surrounding mud, as if they were alive.

"What kind of hellhole is this?"

"The pseudo-permafrost layer formed by the mutant plant community contains a large amount of water and organic humus, and has extremely low load-bearing capacity."

"Sounds like a swamp."

"To be precise, it's a plant-based fluid trap."

Chen Hao turned to look at her: "Can you lift this car?"

"With the current anchor point conditions, it is not possible to drag directly."

"Then what should we do? Wait for it to grow legs and walk out on its own?"

Nana scanned her surroundings, and the optical mirror flashed. "There is a semi-buried metal wreckage fifteen meters ahead. The structure is intact and can be used as a traction anchor point."

"You want me to get out of the car and go tie the rope?"

"yes."

"That thing outside could swallow a person whole."

"According to the analysis, surface contact does not trigger an phagocytic reaction."

Are you so sure?

"uncertain."

"You really dare to tell the truth."

Chen Hao cursed under his breath, but still unbuckled his seatbelt. He rummaged through the trunk and pulled out a roll of resin rope, checked the buckle, and carefully opened the car door. He stepped on it, and mud soaked up to his calves—cold and slippery.

He moved forward step by step, clutching the rope in his hand. The mud bubbled and gurgled, and occasionally a twisted vine would float up from below, touch his trouser leg, and then sink back down.

Finally, they reached the metal wreckage—an abandoned transport pod hull, half-buried in the mud. He wrapped the rope around several times, tied a tight knot, and then shouted back, "Pull!"

Nana activated the robotic arm, and the steel cable taut. The sled creaked as it slowly rose. The mud's suction was immense, causing the sled to lurch twice, almost tipping over.

"Slow down! Slow down!"

"Adjusting the traction angle."

Finally, the front wheels were freed from the mud, and the rear wheels were pulled out as well. The sled was tilted to the side, thankfully not completely stuck.

Chen Hao climbed back into the car, soaked to the bone, his legs trembling. "Next time you suggest taking a detour, I'll listen to you."

"This choice saved 26 minutes."

"Can you please stop saying things like that?"

The two rested for a while and replanned their route. With only 30% fuel left, they could no longer risk venturing into unknown areas.

"What do we do now?"

"Collect soil samples nearby for elemental analysis."

Chen Hao picked up a shovel and dug a few times by the roadside. The soil was hard, and there were loose stones underneath. When he dug down about half a meter, the shovel hit something, making a metallic clanging sound.

He crouched down and dug into the soil with his hands, revealing a silver-gray rock with a smooth surface and a metallic sheen.

"Is this a mine?"

"The preliminary assessment is that it is an iron-aluminum-titanium composite rock layer with an iron content of 68% and associated rare metal components."

"It works?"

"Its purity far exceeds that of metals recovered from ruins, making it suitable for direct processing."

Chen Hao paused for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed. "Have we struck gold?"

Nana nodded. "This is an exposed zone of the original mineral vein, which has long-term mining value."

He stood up and looked around. The wasteland was silent, and the wind whipped snowflakes against his face. Behind him lay the mud he had just escaped from, and in front of him was a stretch of bare rock, gleaming coldly in the dim light.

"Not going back?"

"We don't have enough fuel to make our way back."

"Shall we set up a temporary camp here?"

"yes."

Chen Hao moved his hands and feet; the burn on his right arm no longer hurt. He looked at the rock, and the more he looked at it, the more pleasing it seemed.

"Let's keep digging tomorrow," he said. "Maybe we can even find a generator."

Nana opened her equipment bag and took out a portable light. The light shone on the rock strata, reflecting a clear bright line.

Chen Hao squatted down and reached out to touch the stone. It was cold, hard, and solid.

He grinned.