The door opened.

There was a figure standing inside.

It has a mechanical structure and a human-like shape, but its entire body is covered by a flowing metal shell. Its head has no facial features, only a ring of lights that is slowly rotating.

It raised its hand and pointed at them.

Chen Hao took a step back, his heel hitting the threshold, almost falling to the ground. He didn't fall because Nana grabbed him by the back of his collar.

"Don't move," she said.

The machine didn't move forward, nor did it raise its hand again. It just stood there, like a rusty statue that had suddenly been electrified.

Susan slowly raised her gun, while Carl hid his toolbox behind his back, afraid that the other woman would want his screwdriver.

A few seconds passed, the machine turned and walked into the darkness. The door slowly closed, and as the last glimmer of red light disappeared, the passage returned to silence.

No one spoke.

Until Nana spoke up: "It let us in."

"It could also be a trap," Chen Hao said, rubbing his neck. "I feel like our food delivery has arrived, and they're opening the door to pick it up?"

“You’re the delivery guy.” Susan put away her gun. “If it wanted to attack, it could have slapped you to death just now.”

"Then why is it pointing at us?"

“Say hello,” Carl said quietly. “Maybe it’s just the local custom.”

"Who points at someone when they meet them?" Chen Hao glared. "Besides, it doesn't even have a face, how could it not know who it's pointing at!"

Nana had reached the door and touched the metal frame. A faint light shone from her fingertips as she began scanning.

“It’s twelve degrees warmer than outside,” she said. “The sulfur content in the air is rising, and the oxygen content is down by eight percent. We need to adjust our breathing patterns to continue.”

"Not again?" Chen Hao rolled his eyes. "Can't you give us something new? Radiation, high temperature, poison gas—is this planet specifically for extreme survival tests?"

"It does seem like it at first glance," Nana said, withdrawing her hand. "But we have no choice."

She turned to look at the three men, their faces blurred by the helmet visors.

"The protective suits only have 63% of their energy left, and the cooling system is running at overload. The water bags have less than three liters of water left, and at the current rate of consumption, they won't last until noon tomorrow."

Chen Hao looked down at the water pouch at his waist, shook it gently, and his voice was so hollow it made one's heart race.

"So fast?"

“Energy consumption increases by 12% for every 100 meters we walk.” Nana pulled up the data panel. “The current ambient temperature is 96 degrees Celsius, which feels close to 110 degrees Celsius. The more we sweat, the faster we need to rehydrate, and the heavier the cooling burden becomes.”

"So you mean we're burning money as we go?" Carl touched the bandage on his left arm. "And the kind of money that can't be renewed?"

“Accurate.” Nana nodded.

Chen Hao plopped down on the ground, leaning against the wall. The wall was hot, so he immediately jumped up and sat on the other side.

"Alright." He took a breath. "Meeting. Inventory check, now."

The four of them sat in a circle, and Nana opened the projection interface to display the status of various resources.

Energy: Average remaining 63%, Nana consumed an additional 8% due to continuous exploration.

Water supply: Total 2.8 liters, 0.7 liters per person.

Oxygen filter cartridge: Maximum service life of 47 hours, secondary filtration mode is enabled.

Temperature alert: All personnel have a core temperature exceeding 38.5°C, with Chen Haoda's temperature at 39.2°C.

"I have a fever." Chen Hao looked at his medical records. "Does this count as a work-related injury?"

"No, that doesn't count." Nana turned off the projector. "You're just fat."

"I already said it's for insulation, not heat dissipation—"

"Shut up," Susan interrupted him. "Let's get down to business. What's next?"

Chen Hao cleared his throat: "I propose a three-tiered rationing system. Key positions will be given priority. Nana will be in charge of detection, and Karl will repair the equipment. They can use more water and electricity. Susan and I will take turns on guard duty, and rest and cool off during the rest of the time."

"Then you'll save my water?" Susan frowned.

"That's not what I meant." Chen Hao waved his hand. "I meant... you're strong in combat and can step in at crucial moments. If something happens, you're more useful than me."

“Thanks,” Susan sneered. “I thought you’d say, ‘You’re good-looking, so you get priority.’”

"I wanted to say that too, but I was afraid you'd shoot me."

Carl laughed out loud, but immediately choked on the hot air and coughed twice.

"Stop laughing," Nana said. "Save your energy. I suggest a shift system, with two people working and the other two sitting quietly to avoid the heat. Avoid prolonged exposure to high-radiation areas."

"I'll listen to you." Chen Hao stood up. "Let's find a safe place to stay first. We can't exactly hold a meeting squatting by the door."

They walked a little further and found a recessed platform. The walls here were slightly thicker, the radiation levels were slightly lower, and the ground was flat, making it suitable for a short stay.

Nana sat down against the wall, shutting down part of the system, and her right arm became sluggish.

"What are you doing?" Chen Hao asked.

“Energy saving,” she said. “I’ve turned off unnecessary modules. Visual enhancement, voice recognition, and balance calibration are all stopped. My reaction time will be a little slower now.”

"Can you still type?"

"Yes, but don't make me play fast-paced games."

Carl started rummaging through his toolbox, pulling out a bunch of parts. He took half a wire, connected it to the power interface of his protective suit, and tried to modify the wiring.

"What are you doing?" Chen Hao leaned closer.

“Add a reflux valve,” Carl said without looking up. “It will allow some of the waste heat to flow back and reduce the cooling pressure. I used to do this job in the mines.”

"Can you do it?"

"It has to work." Carl tightened the screws. "Otherwise, I won't even be able to lift a wrench later."

Susan didn't join the discussion. She stared at the rock face to her right, where several grayish-green vines grew along the crevices, their surfaces damp.

She walked over and touched it with insulated pliers.

“It contains moisture,” she said.

The three of them looked over.

"Plants?" Chen Hao exclaimed in surprise, "Can anything grow in this godforsaken place?"

“Radiation-resistant variety.” Nana initiated a remote scan. “Structurally stable, with no highly toxic reactions. Contains organic gel within, which may have moisture-absorbing capabilities.”

"Is it safe to drink?"

“Not now,” Nana shook her head. “It needs to be extracted and purified. Besides, there are risks involved in the collection; direct contact could cause skin burns.”

“Then pick a small piece,” Susan said. “I’ll do it.”

She pulled the sampling bag from her leg, and Carl dismantled a discarded magazine and converted it into a sealed box.

"Here you go." He handed it to her, "Don't touch it with your hands."

Susan nodded, used pliers to cut off a small section of vine, and sealed it into the box. The sample was translucent, with tiny air bubbles moving inside.

"Let's see if we can squeeze out some water later," she said.

"You're a true queen of the wild," Chen Hao exclaimed. "If it were me, I probably would have just devoured it raw."

"Try taking a bite," Susan said, putting the box away. "Your lips will fall off immediately."

"Then I won't try it." Chen Hao touched his lips. "I still rely on this mouth to make a living."

“You won’t even get any food.” Carl looked up. “Drink your water sparingly, who knows when your next meal will be.”

The atmosphere became heavy for a moment.

Chen Hao lowered his head, unscrewed his water pouch, and took a small sip. He didn't swallow; he held it in his mouth, letting the coolness swirl around before slowly swallowing.

“So few,” he said.

"Don't drink it," Nana said. "Your temperature just spiked to 39.5 degrees Celsius. If you get dehydrated again, we'll have to carry you out of the hospital."

"I know." Chen Hao put the water bag back in. "I just wanted to moisten my throat."

He leaned against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. There were fine cracks there, like a spider web, emitting a dark red light.

"Why are plants growing here?" he asked Nana. "It's so hot, the walls are practically melting."

“Some organisms in extreme environments can survive in areas with high temperatures and high radiation,” Nana replied. “They use minerals and moisture cycles to sustain life, just like cacti in the desert.”

"So it's an alien version of a cactus?"

"almost."

Does it bear fruit?

"No."

"Not even a watermelon has grown?"

"If you really want to find food, I suggest you try to survive today first."

Chen Hao sighed, "I feel like I'm turning into roast meat. Can you smell it? Doesn't it smell burnt?"

“It’s the sole of your shoe,” Susan said.

"ah?"

"You stepped on molten slag with your left foot, and it's smoking."

Chen Hao quickly lifted his foot, and sure enough, the edge of the sole was black and making a hissing sound.

"Damn it!" he exclaimed, shaking the road a few times. "This road must have been made from a frying pan!"

"Be careful next time," Nana said. "Don't step on things carelessly."

"What the hell could I possibly care about!" Chen Hao took off his shoe and poured out a small, red-hot metal piece. "This thing fell from above!"

He threw the shoes on the ground and dared not wear them again.

"I don't have a spare pair of shoes."

“You can only go barefoot,” Carl said gloatingly. “Or you can carry Nana over.”

"She can't carry me on her back," Chen Hao glared at Nana. "Right?"

“No,” Nana said. “Besides, you’re too heavy.”

"Look!" Chen Hao pointed at her, "Robots discriminate against fat people!"

“I’m not being discriminatory,” Nana said calmly. “I’m stating a fact. You are overweight and your energy consumption is 23 percent higher than others. If you are willing to lose weight, I can provide a diet plan.”

"Give me a salad now?" Chen Hao sneered. "Iced, no less?"

“No salad,” Nana said. “But if you keep complaining, I can turn off your voice module.”

"You're ruthless." Chen Hao shut up, hugging his knees and shrinking into a corner.

Susan inspected the weapon, confirming that the barrel was not deformed. Carl was still adjusting his protective suit, his forehead covered in sweat, which dripped down and hit the circuit board with a hissing sound.

Nana's scanner suddenly went off.

“There are changes in the plant sample,” she said. “Internal moisture is slowly being released, forming condensation droplets.”

Everyone looked over.

Tiny water droplets appeared on the inner wall of the sealed box and slid down the edge.

"It's producing water on its own?" Susan exclaimed in surprise.

“It’s similar to transpiration,” Nana explained. “It absorbs moisture from the rock crevices and releases it through condensation on the leaves. Although the amount is small, it’s sustainable.”

"How much?" Chen Hao's eyes lit up.

"About 0.3 milliliters per hour," Nana estimated. "If we collect twenty plants, they can produce half a cup of water a day."

"Even half a glass is still water!" Chen Hao slapped his thigh. "We can build a farm!"

“You need to survive until tomorrow,” Nana reminded her. “Besides, these plants are sparsely distributed and difficult to collect.”

“It’s better than just waiting,” Susan said. “I’ll go pick a few more.”

“No.” Chen Hao stopped her. “You’ve just handled the sample. What if there’s a delayed reaction? Observe this one for 24 hours first, and only expand the collection after confirming it’s safe.”

Susan glanced at him: "When did you become so cautious?"

“I’ve always been cautious,” Chen Hao said stiffly. “I just usually keep it well hidden.”

Nana didn't say anything, but her right arm suddenly twitched, and her joint made a slight clicking sound.

"What's wrong?" Chen Hao noticed.

“Overheating,” she said. “The repair process has been interrupted. Energy is being prioritized for the detection system.”

"Can you still hold on?"

"Yes," she nodded, "as long as this arm isn't touched."

Chen Hao was silent for a few seconds, then handed over his water bag.

"Have a drink."

"I don't need it."

"I'm not giving it to you to drink," Chen Hao glared at her. "I mean... take it to cool down the machine. Anyway, you're a lump of iron, you can conduct heat."

Nana glanced at him, took the water bag, and stuck it to the outside of her right arm.

Water flowed down the armor and accumulated in a small puddle on the ground.

“It works,” she said.

"That's good." Chen Hao leaned back. "We're in this together now. If you break, we're all doomed."

“The logic holds true,” Nana said.

A soft sound came from Karl's side, and the green light on the panel of his protective suit lit up.

"It's done." He breathed a sigh of relief. "Energy-saving mode activated, energy consumption reduced by seven percent."

"Not bad." Chen Hao gave a thumbs up. "We've finally made some progress."

Just then, Nana's detector sounded the alarm again.

“Energy fluctuations,” she said. “There are regular pulse signals deep in the passage ahead.”

"That machine again?" Susan gripped her gun tighter.

“It doesn’t seem like it.” Nana compared the data. “The frequency is different. It’s more like… some kind of circulatory system.”

"Shall we go take a look?" Carl asked.

"No rush." ​​Chen Hao waved his hand. "Let's get the immediate things sorted out first. Water, electricity, and life—we can't afford to lose any of them."

He stood up and looked at the box of plant samples on the platform.

Water droplets are slowly sliding down the inner wall.

He reached out and caught a drop with his fingers.

It's cold.