As Chen Hao put the pen back in his pocket, Nana had already pushed the "Groundhog" materials list to the terminal. Three lines of text appeared on the screen, each item marked with the word "Urgent" in red.
He didn't look for long before turning and walking towards the workshop entrance. "Ready to leave."
Susan looked up: "Now?"
"The sooner the better," he said. "The drawings are all finished, and if I delay any longer, I'm afraid I'll change my mind."
Carl was squatting on the ground checking his toolbox when he heard this, his hand trembled, and the screwdriver fell into the corner. "Are you serious? That forest outside isn't even covered by GPS."
"That's why I wanted you all to come along." Chen Hao bent down to pick up the screwdriver and shoved it back into his hand. "One's lame, one's a coward, and there's a woman—a perfect combination."
Susan rolled her eyes. "Then what are you? A savior?"
“I’m the only one who’s not afraid of bugs.” He patted the side pocket of his backpack. “I brought ointment, incense, and bite patches. The whole set.”
Nana stood at the doorway, the robotic arm connected to the data port. "The geological heat map has been updated. We recommend a route that avoids the northern subsidence area. The estimated walking time is two hours and fifteen minutes."
"Did you hear that?" Chen Hao grinned. "If the robot says it can walk, then it definitely can walk. She never lies."
“She said your heart was racing because you were nervous, not because you were fat,” Carl muttered to himself.
That was a misdiagnosis.
The group stepped outside. The wind wasn't strong, but it carried a dry, static-like feel. The sky was overcast, like an unwashed pane of glass.
They walked along the edge of the rift valley, the ground beneath their feet growing narrower and narrower. Steep slopes stretched out on both sides, covered with dark green vines with thick, waxy leaves.
“This place doesn’t look welcoming to people,” Carl said, shrinking back.
"Whether we're welcome or not depends on whether we can get back alive." Chen Hao glanced down at the detector; the signal was intermittent. "Five hundred meters ahead, the mineral outcrop is in the crevice on the south side."
The road was getting increasingly slippery. The ground was covered with a layer of damp moss, which felt as soft as stepping on an old sponge.
Suddenly, with a "thud," Karl's entire leg sank into the pit.
He lunged forward, but Chen Hao grabbed his backpack strap and pulled him back.
"Thanks..." Carl sat down on the ground, panting, his right ankle swollen.
"Did you twist it?" Susan squatted down and touched it.
“It’s mild,” he grinned. “If I were at home, I would have been lying on the sofa calling for my mom.”
"It's a pity there's no sofa here." Chen Hao rummaged through his bag and pulled out a strap. "Tie it tight first, so the bones don't move around."
Susan looked around. "The detector is malfunctioning; the magnetic field interference is too strong."
“Then we’ll rely on our eyes.” Chen Hao tapped a stone next to him, his voice muffled. “It’s solid underneath, you can walk on it.”
They switched to exploring on foot, poking at each step with a stick. Susan noticed that there were no vines growing in the area ahead, and the soil was a lighter color.
"It's probably a drainage area, where the surface is relatively firm," she said.
"Women are more perceptive," Chen Hao nodded. "Let's go that way."
After passing through the dense forest, the view suddenly opened up. Ahead was a bare rock face, and dark silver mineral veins could be seen reflecting light from the crevices.
"High-toughness alloy mineral core." Susan took out a sampling hammer. "Found it."
The three men took turns hammering, sending fragments of stone flying. Half an hour later, the sealed box was filled with samples.
"First task done." Chen Hao wiped his sweat. "Next, we need to find corrosion-resistant joint plates on that scree slope to the east."
Just as he started moving, Carl suddenly slapped his arm. "What bit me?"
He opened his palm, revealing several small red dots on his skin, as if he had been pricked with needles.
Immediately afterward, Susan hissed and covered her cheek. "I got bitten too."
Chen Hao looked up and saw some things the size of fingernails floating in the air, semi-transparent and almost invisible.
"Run!" He shoved the two of them aside.
But they had already been infected. Carl's arm quickly became red and swollen, and Susan's face began to burn.
Chen Hao rolled behind a rock and casually tore off a piece of his clothing to wrap around the back of his left hand—he had also been bitten there.
“It’s a poisonous insect.” He took out some ointment, smeared it on a strip of cloth, and lit it.
As smoke rose, the little creatures immediately scurried away.
"Shoo them away with smoke!" he shouted. "Don't stop!"
Susan helped Carl back, their steps faltering. The swarm of insects chased after them for a while, but were stopped by the smoke and began to circle in place.
"We can't stay here," Chen Hao said, panting. "We haven't received the connector plate and transmission rod base material yet."
"Are you crazy?" Karl's voice trembled. "I can barely move."
"You can still talk, which means you're not dead." Chen Hao threw the last piece of ointment into the fire. "Ten minutes, we'll leave once we're done. Those who can't hold on can go back now."
Nobody moved.
"Then take it as your agreement."
They continued forward, moving at a snail's pace. Carl, supported by Susan, had to stop every few steps. Chen Hao walked in front, his left hand growing increasingly numb, but he kept gripping the hammer.
The corrosion-resistant joint pieces were hidden under the pile of rubble, with a layer of bluish-gray oxide on their surface. Susan identified them by their color and dug for more than ten minutes before finally retrieving several intact samples.
“We’re still missing the base material for the drive shaft,” she said.
“It’s just ahead.” Chen Hao pointed to a crack not far away. “Nana said that this kind of rock layer is often accompanied by high-strength graphite composites.”
The crack was very narrow, allowing only a sideways passage. It was cold and damp inside, with obvious scratches on the walls, as if something large had rubbed against them.
"Don't touch the wall," Chen Hao whispered.
By the time they found the target material, Carl had already started talking nonsense.
"My mom's braised pork... smells so good..."
"Shut up." Susan pinched him. "Save your energy for walking."
Chen Hao packed the last batch of samples into boxes and locked them up. "Let's go."
The return journey was more difficult than the journey there.
The wind suddenly picked up, and the air began to crackle. In the distance, a layer of grayish-yellow hue rose on the horizon, like a roller shutter slowly being pulled down.
"The static dust storm has arrived ahead of schedule." Susan looked up. "It will arrive in twenty minutes."
"Then we'll be back within twenty minutes." Chen Hao walked in front, marking each hundred meters with a fluorescent marker.
Carl was getting heavier and heavier, and Susan was practically dragging him along.
"Put me down...I can walk by myself..." Karl struggled.
"What the hell are you going to do?" Susan gritted her teeth. "If you say another word, I'll leave you here to feed the bugs."
The wind grew stronger, making it hard to open one's eyes. Sand grains pelted against the protective suits with a pattering sound.
Chen Hao suddenly stopped. "Lights."
“What?” Susan asked.
“The base’s lights,” he pointed into the distance. “See that green light on the right?”
"I see it!" Susan perked up. "Less than a kilometer."
They quickened their pace, but Karl suddenly collapsed to his knees.
"I can't... I really... can't hold on any longer..."
Chen Hao turned around and squatted down without saying a word. "Get on."
"You can't carry me..."
"Trying won't kill you." He hoisted Karl onto his shoulder, stood up, swayed slightly, and then steadied himself.
“You really are… indebted.” Carl lay on his back, his voice growing softer and softer.
The wind picked up, and the sandstorm began to obscure visibility. The marker stickers were blown to pieces.
Chen Hao kept his head down and walked forward step by step. His left hand was numb and didn't feel like it belonged to him, but he kept gripping the sealed box.
Susan followed behind, one hand supporting herself against the wall, her face burning with pain from the wound.
Finally, the outline of a wall appeared ahead.
The siren lights flashed faintly in the wind.
Chen Hao burst through the outer door and rushed into the buffer zone. Susan followed him in and slammed the door shut behind her.
The wind was kept out.
Nana was already waiting at the door of the medical room, the robotic arm extended, disinfectant and syringes ready.
"Give me the wounded," she said.
Chen Hao put Karl down, nearly collapsing to his knees himself. He leaned against the wall, panting, his left hand swollen and shiny.
“The box…” he pointed to the sealed box, “to be handed over to the workshop.”
Susan nodded and dragged her suitcase outside.
Nana supported Chen Hao's arm, and the optical lens scanned the wound. "The toxin has entered the superficial nerves and needs immediate treatment."
"Wait a minute." Chen Hao shook off her hand. "Let's see how they are first."
“Karl’s poisoning is quite severe, requiring three rounds of detoxification. Susan has a facial infection and needs local anti-inflammatory treatment.” Nana spoke calmly, “Your condition is milder, but if not treated promptly, it could lead to abnormal nerve conduction.”
"That means I'm not completely paralyzed yet." Chen Hao grinned. "Then I can live for another two days."
Nana didn't respond, but simply opened the medicine compartment and pulled out a vial of blue liquid.
Chen Hao stared at the syringe for a second, then suddenly said, "Do you think...aren't we incredibly unlucky?"
“Based on data analysis, your operation’s risk assessment level is ‘extremely high,’ but the mission completion rate is 100%,” Nana said. “It’s not bad luck, it’s highly efficient.”
"Efficient my foot!" he said with a wry smile. "Next time, could you design a farm tool that can be made without even leaving home?"
“Okay.” Nana stuck the needle into his arm. “Next time, I’ll let you remotely control the robot to collect them.”
"It would have been better if you had said so sooner."
As the syringe was pushed all the way in, a cool sensation spread along the veins.
Chen Hao leaned back in his chair, his eyelids starting to droop.
Footsteps sounded outside the door; Susan had returned.
"The materials have been put in the storage cabinet," she said. "The label is on, it says 'For Groundhog Use Only'."
Chen Hao wanted to laugh, but his face froze.
“It seems the toxin is spreading faster than I anticipated.” Nana put away the syringe. “You can’t control your facial muscles right now.”
"Then...can I still speak?"
"Yes, but I suggest you say as little as possible."
He opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Susan sat on a chair in the corner and gently touched the gauze on her face.
"Does it hurt?" Nana asked.
"It hurts," she replied.
That means your nerve function is normal.
The room fell silent.
Chen Hao stared at the ceiling, his breathing gradually becoming steady.
His fingers twitched, as if he wanted to reach for a pen in his pocket.
But in the end, nothing was done.
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