Chen Hao stared at the thin, elongated scratches on the ground, his throat dry. He squatted down and rubbed the edge of the sand with his finger, feeling a slight gritty sensation on his fingertip.
"Not a wild boar?" he asked.
Nana stood half a step behind him, the camera slightly lowered, scanning the trail of the marks. "Less than a third of his size, the movement patterns are repetitive and intersecting, showing clear signs of probing." She paused, "More like reconnaissance."
"Who's scouting? An army of ants?" Chen Hao stood up and clapped his hands. "We're not the first course at an alien food festival, why are we sneaking around like this?"
“We cannot rule out the possibility of small, environmentally adaptable organisms,” she said, turning to walk toward the pile of building materials. “But whatever the motivation, speeding up the process is the best solution at present.”
Chen Hao didn't say anything, and bent down to move the support beam he had just been holding. He had barely grasped the edge when his arm went weak, and he almost knelt on the ground. He caught his breath, held his knees for a couple of seconds, and then put his strength back on.
“Your physical strength is below the safe threshold,” Nana said. “Continuing to force yourself to work could lead to ligament damage.”
"Then what do you suggest we do?" He wiped the sweat from his face. "Build it again after I've laid down?"
“You don’t need to lie down.” She raised her hand and made a light sweep in the air. A pale blue light trail appeared, winding from their location to the open space next to the wreckage of the life pod. “Transporting along this path will reduce seven unnecessary turns and lower the risk of shifting the center of gravity.”
Chen Hao squinted at the floating line: "You're doing projection and calculations, it's like a navigation software."
“To be precise, it’s an ergonomic optimization system.” She tapped her fingertip, and the light track was finely adjusted to avoid a soft area. “Currently, each of your transport trips takes an average of six minutes and nineteen seconds, of which forty-seven seconds are wasted on adjusting your posture and avoiding obstacles. If you follow this route, you can save about fifty seconds each way.”
So all my previous efforts were for nothing?
“Not entirely.” She said calmly, “It at least proves that you’ve persevered this far, and your willpower score is 12% higher than the initial assessment.”
Chen Hao rolled his eyes: "Thanks for the compliment, Comrade Robot."
He tried following the light trail once. At first, he felt it was a long detour, but when he reached the third corner, he found that the turn was smoother and his exertion was more even. After two round trips, his breathing rhythm actually stabilized.
"What will be moved next?" he asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“Prioritize the column base material.” Nana pulled up a semi-transparent structural diagram that floated between the two of them. “Frame assembly will take place tomorrow, and the main load-bearing components need to be gathered in advance.”
"You really treat me like a construction foreman."
“I’m just offering an efficient solution.” She glanced at him. “Whether you implement it or not is up to you.”
Chen Hao snorted and turned to carry the thickest metal pillar. This time, he didn't rush forward but instead slowly advanced along the same route, his steps much more steady.
The sun was high overhead, its heat making his scalp burn. He went back and forth repeatedly, his t-shirt soaked with sweat, which formed rings of salt stains on his back. Strangely, although he was tired, he didn't feel breathless like before.
“Your route… is actually quite useful.” He put down the third pillar and said, panting.
“I’ve said it before.” She stood still, the camera panning across the storage area. “Scientific methods don’t lie; those who lie are just making excuses.”
“Alright, alright, you’re right.” He waved his hand. “Once the base is built, I’ll carve a monument for you and write ‘A great mentor once lived here.’”
“I suggest changing the inscription to ‘Exemplary Case of Energy Conservation and Consumption Reduction’.” She turned and walked towards the last crossbeam. “Now, let’s begin the framework construction.”
Chen Hao was taken aback: "Set it up now? I thought it would just be a matter of moving everything."
“The building materials collection is complete.” She lifted the beam with one hand, suspending it steadily in mid-air. “The next step is structural forming. You are responsible for positioning, and I will assist in fixing it.”
"It sounds like I'm doing the grunt work."
“Division of labor is not based on hierarchy,” she said. “You have the judgment, and I have the strength. We just need to cooperate.”
Chen Hao smiled wryly: "You make it sound so easy."
The first pillar went smoothly when it was erected; Nana used the magnetic arm to stabilize it, and he found the groove and pushed it in. But as soon as the second pillar was lifted off the ground, his foot slipped, and the entire pillar almost hit his calf. He hurriedly stepped back, his back slamming into the outer shell of the escape capsule with a dull thud.
"Your center of gravity is too low." Nana reached out and caught the falling column. "You bent over too much, causing your upper body to lose its balance."
"I'm not Iron Man, I can't fly to work."
“You don’t need to fly.” She adjusted her posture to demonstrate. “Bend your knees, keep your back close to the support point, and push up with your leg strength. What you’re doing now is like using your spine as a hydraulic rod.”
"I didn't study human anatomy well enough, you know..." he muttered as he did so, and this time he managed to stand up with some difficulty.
The subsequent movements gradually became more methodical. While manipulating the magnetic arm's stabilizing mechanism, Nana verbally explained the key points: "The buckle should be inserted into the slot at an angle, and you can only lock it when you hear a 'click' sound." "Don't press it directly with your palm, it's easy to slip off." "Yes, like that, another half centimeter forward—done."
When the four main pillars and the top beam are joined together to form a crooked but complete rectangular frame, the setting sun shines down at an angle, giving the metal edges a thin layer of gold.
“The framework is 30% complete,” Nana confirmed. “The basic load-bearing structure is in place and can withstand wind pressure up to level six.”
Chen Hao plopped down on the ground, looked up at the shaky "house," and grinned: "You know... should we install a window in it sometime? It would be best if we could draw the curtains, so we wouldn't be kept awake by the stars at night."
"The current priorities are wind protection and insulation," she said. "Windows are a non-essential decorative item."
"You have to have dreams." He propped himself up on his knees as he stood up. "Otherwise, what's the point of carrying sheet metal every day?"
“To survive,” she said calmly, “and to no longer rely on temporary shelter.”
Chen Hao paused for a moment, then laughed out loud: "You're quite good at spouting grand principles."
“I’m just stating the facts in order.” She moved on to the next set of materials. “The remaining materials still need to be integrated. I suggest that the second batch of framework preparation be completed before the lighting conditions worsen.”
"Can't you let me rest for five minutes?"
“Okay,” she nodded. “But within five minutes, the sunlight will shift by 11.3 degrees, widening the shadow area and affecting visibility. Also, the temperature is expected to drop by 4.7 degrees Celsius, which will reduce muscle activity.”
"Couldn't you just say, 'It's getting dark, let's get to work'?"
That's a vague expression.
Chen Hao sighed and bent down again to move another crossbeam. This time he moved more nimbly, even adjusting his grip angle.
"Hey," he suddenly spoke, "Do you think those little things... will come back?"
“It can’t be ruled out.” She scanned the surrounding rocks. “But once the framework is in place, the enclosed space will form a physical barrier, reducing the probability of external interference.”
"So, once the house is built, we can feel more at ease?"
"Relatively speaking."
"That's fine then." He gritted his teeth and hoisted the beam onto his shoulder. "If I knock it over again, I'll really have to switch careers and sell scrap metal."
The two continued working. Chen Hao's movements were still clumsy, but he no longer made frequent mistakes. Each time he successfully installed something, he would look up at the gradually taking shape, and the fatigue in his eyes was slowly replaced by a subtle sense of accomplishment.
As the last piece of the substrate was placed, only a sliver of sunlight remained on the horizon. The frame stood silently on the wasteland, like an unfinished monument.
"Mission accomplished for today." Nana closed the projection interface. "Structural stability meets the standard; there is no risk of loosening."
Chen Hao sat down against the pillar, panting, "Do you think... we can install the wall panels tomorrow?"
“It depends on your recovery speed,” she said. “I recommend supplementing your protein intake tonight and doing fifteen minutes of low-intensity stretching.”
"Can't you just say 'Go to bed early'?"
That's not precise enough.
He smiled and shook his head, looking up at the darkening sky. A gentle breeze stirred in the distance, rustling across the metal surface with a faint hum.
Suddenly, he noticed new marks on the ground—right on the west side of the frame, three shallow scratches were extending from the edge of the rock crevice, pointing directly to the nearest pile of building materials.
He didn't say anything, but gently touched Nana's arm.
She looked down, and the camera quickly focused.
The wind is still blowing.
The metal frame trembled slightly.
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