After the sound of the waterproofing panel slipping off subsided, Carl got up, went under the eaves, and tightened the loose sheet metal back on. He brushed the dust off his hands, said nothing, and turned back to the control room.

The lights were still on, illuminating the four people's faces. No one was in a hurry to leave. The soft thud seemed like a reminder—the house wasn't completely safe yet, but at least they could sit down and catch their breath.

Chen Hao leaned back in his chair, his legs propped up on the edge of another stool, his fingers tapping his knees. He stared at the ceiling for a while, then suddenly spoke: "The lights are on, but we can't live off this alone."

Susan was wiping her hands with a cloth when she heard this and looked up at him.

“I mean,” Chen Hao continued, “the roof is fixed, the electricity is on, the drains are cleaned, everything seems fine. But what about in a month? Three months? What will we use to replace parts when they break? Where will we find food when we run out?”

Nana stood in front of the control panel, the screen lit up. Without waiting for instructions, she brought up the energy consumption curve and resource reserve table. The charts unfolded one by one, the red warning line stopping at the forty-seventh day.

"At the current rate of consumption, the basic survival system will reach a critical state in 47 days," she said. "If no new resources are added, lighting, water purification, and temperature control will be gradually cut off starting from day 92."

The room was quiet for a few seconds.

"So, we can't last more than three months before we have to start saving electricity and water?" Chen Hao asked.

“To be precise, mandatory rationing started on the 48th day,” Nana replied.

Karl frowned as he looked at the diagram. "Either we find something new to fill the gap, or we find a way to reduce consumption. Reducing consumption is too slow; the only way out is to find new resources."

“So we need to get moving.” Chen Hao sat up straight. “We can’t just stay huddled here.”

“There are two ways to move.” Karl tapped the table with his finger. “One is to explore for mineral veins in the northwestern desert, where the geological data shows abnormal signals, possibly indicating a high-concentration metal deposit area; the other is to try to send a message to the outside world, contact other survivor teams, and exchange technology or supplies.”

Chen Hao's eyes lit up: "Where there are people, there is hope."

“It could also be trouble.” Carl stared at him. “We don’t know if there are people outside, let alone whether they are willing to cooperate. The source of that signal we received last time still hasn’t been confirmed.”

“But if it weren’t for that signal, Susan wouldn’t have come here.” Chen Hao looked at her. “Don’t you think it’s nice to have someone respond?”

Susan put down the cloth and gently rubbed her wrist. "I think it's too early to talk about contact. We don't even know how many cards we have up our sleeves. If someone is stronger than us, we'll just become a burden if we go to them; if someone wants to take something from us, we won't even have time to run away."

“Then let’s strengthen ourselves first,” Carl said. “Exploring mineral veins is time-consuming, but the risks are manageable. As long as the route is well-planned and supplies are sufficient, we can retreat even if problems arise along the way.”

“The problem is the harsh environment there,” Susan shook her head. “There’s a huge temperature difference between day and night, frequent sandstorms, and no shelter. A round trip takes at least five days, and you have to take care of all your own food, drink, and other necessities along the way. If you encounter extreme weather, you might not make it back.”

“It’s more dangerous not to go out,” Carl said. “It’s just a little slower to die from being trapped than from exhaustion.”

Nana interjected: "Based on the existing data simulation, both schemes have uncontrollable variables. The success rate of external communication is estimated at 31.6%, with the main risks being encountering hostile units or being misled by information; the success rate of resource exploration is 57.3%, with the main limiting factors being physical exertion and navigation errors."

She pulled up a matrix chart, with "risk level", "time consumption" and "expected return" listed horizontally, and a comparison of various indicators for the two options vertically.

“In the short term, exploration is a higher priority,” she said. “It can not only obtain raw materials, but also accumulate field experience, providing negotiating leverage for future contacts.”

Chen Hao stared at the picture for a long time, then sighed. "You mean, we shouldn't rush to chat with people, but instead hone our own skills first?"

"Pretty much." Susan nodded. "It's like learning to stand firm before you fight. We don't even have the equipment for a long journey yet, so it's too early to talk about cooperation."

“But I always thought that it was safer with more people,” Chen Hao said in a low voice. “One person repairs the roof, two people move things, three people keep watch at night, four people… it’s always better than one.”

“More people also means more responsibility,” Carl said. “More mouths to feed, more people to manage. If we bring back a madman or a liar, all our possessions will be gone overnight.”

“I’m not saying we should form a team right away,” Chen Hao waved his hand. “I mean, we shouldn’t completely cut off this route. We can explore for minerals while sending signals, taking two routes. Anyway, the power has been restored, so sending a low-power broadcast won’t be a problem.”

Nana immediately responded: "We can activate the backup antenna array to send a short distress signal at regular intervals every day, including coordinates, survival status, and willingness to cooperate. The power should be kept at the lowest threshold to avoid revealing our location."

"That's a good idea," Chen Hao laughed. "It doesn't delay the search for resources, and it also leaves a back door."

“But the message must be encrypted,” Susan cautioned. “You can’t just write ‘We have food and electricity, come quick!’ It has to be something that people can understand; otherwise, it’s just nonsense.”

“Just add a code word.” Chen Hao thought for a moment. “For example, ‘There are three packs of cookies left.’ Those who know will understand that it’s a secret code, while those who don’t will think we’re counting snacks.”

Carl snorted. "Sounds like a joke."

“But sometimes, a joke works better than a password.” Chen Hao grinned. “When things get really desperate, who remembers complicated passwords? The real teammates are the ones who can remember things like ‘Leave the last pack for the wounded.’”

The atmosphere in the room relaxed a bit.

Nana continued operating the interface, listing "phased resource exploration" as the suggested direction for the next stage, and marked the supporting preparations: topographic mapping, supply list, emergency communication kit assembly, and physical fitness assessment.

“No precipitation is forecast for the next 72 hours,” she said. “It’s a good time to begin preliminary work. Please decide whether to initiate the exploration plan.”

None of the four people answered immediately.

Chen Hao looked down at his hands; there was still dirt under his fingernails. He remembered almost falling while moving the scaffolding yesterday, and how his eyelids were drooping but he dared not close his eyes while keeping watch at midnight. He knew that going out this time wouldn't be any easier than repairing the roof.

Susan opened her notebook and began taking notes. She wrote down "protective clothing inspection", "water bag capacity test", and "number of spare batteries".

Carl repeatedly examined the weather model, zooming in on the wind speed changes in the northwest region. He drew three possible routes on the map, marking the estimated travel time and risk points for each.

Nana's screen remained on the feasibility analysis page, with the cursor flashing in the "Final Recommendation" field, waiting for input.

Chen Hao suddenly asked, "What if we go there and find there's nothing there? We'll have wasted our time and energy, what should we do then?"

“Then come back,” Carl said. “At least we’ll know it won’t work there.”

"What if we find something, but can't bring it back?"

"Then mark the location and bring more people next time."

"What if we run into someone? Not an enemy, not a friend, just... a stranger. They ask us where we're from and if we want to come together, what do you say?"

Carl was silent for a few seconds. "I said, we're still considering it."

“Me too.” Chen Hao nodded.

Susan closed her notebook. "The focus now isn't on who we meet, but on whether we can get out and come back. The first thing we need to do is make sure we come home every time we set out."

Nana looked at the three of them. "Currently, the team's consensus leans towards prioritizing resource exploration while maintaining low-intensity external communication. This plan has the lowest overall risk and strategic scalability. Shall we formally initiate the project?"

No one objected.

But no one nodded.

Chen Hao raised his hand and pointed to the screen. "Could we send a drone out to test it first? Let it fly for a while, see what the road conditions are like, and then decide whether to send people?"

“The drones don’t have enough battery life,” Nana said. “They can only cover one-third of the distance one way, making it impossible to complete round-trip reconnaissance.”

“Then let’s modify it into a remote-controlled car,” Chen Hao said. “We’ll install a camera, attach a battery, and let it slowly crawl there. Even if it runs out of power halfway there, it can still transmit a video.”

Carl pondered for a moment. "We could take the motor from an abandoned electric car and attach a solar panel. It would be slower, but it could go further."

“I’m in charge of reinforcing the outer shell,” Susan said. “It has to be sandproof, drop-proof, and waterproof.”

"I'll go rummage through the toolbox," Chen Hao said, standing up. "Let's see if there are any suitable wheels."

Nana immediately updated the task list, adding the "Remote Detection Vehicle Modification" project and assigning responsibilities.

The four of them started moving again.

Chen Hao bent down and opened the locker, pulling out a pile of old parts. He picked up a rusty gear, looked at it, and threw it into the box.

Susan held a measuring ruler and gestured to indicate the length of the remote-controlled car's chassis, muttering about the material thickness.

Carl squatted on the ground drawing circuit diagrams, his pencil scratching on the paper.

Nana stood in front of the control panel, where new parameters kept appearing on the screen.

The lights in the control room were still on, casting shadows on everyone's backs.

Chen Hao pulled a metal rod from a pile of scrap and suddenly stopped.

He stared at the pole, stunned for a few seconds.

Then slowly raise your head and look out the window.

On the distant horizon, a pale gray mist was slowly rising, spreading along the ground like a thin veil covering the wilderness.

He didn't call for help.

He simply gripped the iron rod tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white.