At 6:30 a.m., the lights in the monitoring area came on.
Nana stood in front of the terminal, and the robotic arm lightly tapped the screen: "System routine maintenance, everyone present."
Chen Hao leaned against the doorframe, still clutching half a piece of dry rations in his hand. He hadn't slept well last night, his mind filled with Karl's words—"If I save your life one day, can I make some demands?" It sounded like a threat, yet also like a plea for approval.
Susan came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of hot water. She didn't say anything, put the bowl on the table, and sat down on a low stool in the corner.
Carl had arrived, standing with his back against the wall, his eyes fixed on the ground. He hadn't slept much last night, spending the entire night thinking about what he had said wrong.
All four people were there, but no one spoke.
Nana glanced around: "Emotional fluctuation detection has been activated. We suggest everyone say one sentence, only what you want others to know."
"I'll go first." Susan lowered her head and blew a puff of warm air. "I hope this family isn't supported by just one person."
After she finished speaking, she looked up at Nana, then at Chen Hao.
Carl looked up, his lips moving slightly: "I've lived alone for two weeks, not to be treated like an outsider."
Chen Hao took a bite of his dry rations, chewing slowly. He knew the meaning behind those words—no one wanted to be a burden, but no one wanted to be guarded against.
“I was also afraid of holding you back.” Chen Hao swallowed his food. “On the day I had a fever, I thought you guys would abandon me.”
He looked at Nana: "You could have walked faster, so why did you carry me back?"
Nana replied, "The mission objective is for everyone to survive. I do not have the authority to abandon the mission."
“But you have the right to judge,” Chen Hao said. “You can completely decide that I’m not worth saving.”
The room was silent for a few seconds.
Susan suddenly laughed: "You really think of yourself as someone who needs special protection?"
“I’m not the point, I’m the problem,” Chen Hao said, shrugging. “But now I understand, you didn’t see me as a burden either. Otherwise, you would have kicked me out long ago.”
Carl looked at him: "Then why are you still forcing me to speak?"
“I didn’t pressure you.” Chen Hao shook his head. “I just don’t want anyone to come up and change the rules.”
“I want to participate, not to grab a spot,” Carl said, his voice lower. “It’s just that I’ve been out in the wilderness for too long, and as soon as I get inside, I want to do something. If I don’t do something, I feel like I’m still freezing out there.”
Susan nodded: "I understand what that means. It was the same when I was in the shelter. Whoever worked got to eat, and if you didn't work, you got out."
“It’s different here,” Chen Hao said. “We don’t kick people out, but we also don’t rush to change the rules. We’ll take it one step at a time.”
Nana interjected: "Proposal: Establish a task rotation system and a skills-sharing day. Each member will regularly lead a task and pass on their expertise."
"Sounds like a training course." Chen Hao grinned. "I thought robots could only sound alarms."
“I have a database,” Nana said calmly. “I’ve also learned about team collaboration models.”
"So, who will you teach first?"
"Karl requested to view the energy system today. The process shows that he needs to pass three operational assessments before authorization can be granted."
Carl didn't argue: "I can take the test."
"It starts at seven o'clock tomorrow morning." Nana confirmed the time. "Being late will be considered an automatic forfeit."
“I’m not late.” Carl straightened up a bit. “I’m more interested in figuring out how this base works than anyone else.”
Chen Hao took a sip of water: "Then can you show me the route tomorrow? I should learn something too. Lying around all the time isn't a solution."
Karl paused for a moment: "You...want to see?"
“Yeah.” Chen Hao shrugged. “You explain, and I’ll listen. If you don’t understand, ask. If you ask too many questions, you’ll get annoyed, and if you get annoyed, I’ll have to explain properly.”
Susan laughed out loud: "That's a really cunning move."
“I’m lazy, but I’m not stupid.” Chen Hao pointed to his head. “The lessons I need to make up for will have to be made up for sooner or later. I might as well take advantage of the fact that someone is willing to teach me now.”
Carl looked at him, and his expression changed. It was no longer one of tense confrontation, but rather one of surprise and a hint of relaxation.
“Okay,” he said. “Come tomorrow and I’ll explain.”
"Then it's settled." Chen Hao extended his hand. "Pleasure doing business with you?"
Carl hesitated for a moment, then reached out and shook hands.
The two shook hands, neither forcefully nor perfunctorily.
Nana's note: "The team collaboration index has rebounded to a safe threshold."
Susan got up and rummaged through the cabinet, taking out an old piece of paper and a pen: "I'll make up the training schedule. Who will teach what, when they will teach, and in order."
“I can teach you how to collect water in the wild,” she said. “And how to set traps and identify food.”
“I can be responsible for medical assistance,” Nana said, “including temperature monitoring, medication preparation, and emergency treatment.”
“Then I…” Chen Hao thought for a moment, “I can teach you how to be lazy without getting caught.”
Susan rolled her eyes at him: "Nobody wants to learn this."
“This is a survival skill!” Chen Hao said seriously. “Saving energy is equivalent to extending life. Especially in a place like this, every extra day you live is a bonus.”
Carl suddenly spoke up: "If no one objects, I'd like to be in charge of energy and circuit maintenance."
"The prerequisite is that you can pass the assessment," Nana reminded.
“I accept,” Carl nodded. “I will follow the procedure.”
“Okay.” Chen Hao slapped his thigh and stood up. “From now on, we won’t call this place the base, we’ll call it the ‘Mutual Aid Learning Class’.”
Susan laughed as she wrote: "The name is too long, I'll think of something else another day."
The atmosphere was finally less tense than before.
No one talks about who should listen to whom anymore, and no one mentions things like "I'll save your life" anymore.
Carl walked to the table, picked up the toolbox key he had accidentally touched yesterday, and put it back next to Nana: "I shouldn't have touched this."
Nana took it: "The record has been updated. Please apply in advance next time you need to borrow it."
"knew."
Chen Hao yawned: "Can I go back and catch up on my sleep after we've finished talking? After all, I'm still injured."
"You can go now," Susan waved, "but you must get up for lunch."
What if I want to stay in bed?
"I'll throw the soup in your face."
"Look, this is true team care," Chen Hao said with a smile as he walked out. "The threat was effective, and the bond was strong."
He had just reached the door when he turned back and asked Carl, "What time will you arrive tomorrow morning?"
"Seven o'clock," Carl replied.
"I'll be there at 6:30," Chen Hao said. "Let's see how Nana manages to stump you."
Karl's lips twitched: "Maybe it'll be you who falls."
"We'll see."
The door closed.
Susan continued writing on the form, Nana brought up the course module, and Carl stood still, watching the monitor screen for a while.
Sunlight streamed in from outside, casting a patch on the floor.
He looked down at his shadow, which was shorter than yesterday.
After writing the last line, Susan looked up and asked, "Do you think he's trustworthy?"
Nana replied, "My behavioral data has remained stable, and the probability of me lying has remained below 11 percent."
"Neither high nor low."
“Trust takes time,” Nana said. “But he told the truth today.”
Which sentence?
He said he didn't want to be treated as a passerby anymore.
Susan paused for a few seconds, then put down her pen: "Actually, we're all the same. Nobody is born belonging."
Nana didn't respond, but simply archived the "team's mental state" log.
As Carl walked out of the monitoring area, he turned off the lights.
The corridor was quiet.
He returned to his bed, sat down, and placed his hands on his knees.
My fingers trembled slightly.
It wasn't because of the cold, nor because of hunger.
It was the first time he felt that this place might actually be able to accommodate him.
Chen Hao lay on the bed, listening to the footsteps in the distance.
He knew the conversation hadn't been perfect, but at least no one wanted to fight anymore.
He turned over, and since the pillow had sagged a bit, he propped it up to support his neck.
A slight noise came from outside the door.
He assumed it was Susan on patrol and didn't pay any attention.
Until I heard the sound of the key turning.
He suddenly opened his eyes.
That was the sound of a locker being locked.
Only Nana and he knew the password to the cabinet containing spare batteries and tools.
And now, someone is using a key to open it.
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