Chen Hao put the spoon back on the side of the pot, the sweetness of the jam still lingering in his mouth. He was just about to say that today's batch was cooked perfectly when Nana's voice rang out.
“There are three unregistered people outside the base, approaching the fence.”
He turned to look at her. Nana stood in front of the control panel, her finger swiping across the screen, the view switching to the door monitor. Three men stood outside the iron gate, neatly dressed, not like homeless people. One of them held a worn-out walkie-talkie in one hand, and with the other hand on the door frame, he knocked twice slowly.
“I’m not here to beg for food.” Chen Hao stood up, wiped his mouth, and said, “My clothes are clean, my shoes are dry, and I walk upright. I’m the kind of person who walks a lot but doesn’t do heavy work.”
Susan came out of the storeroom and glanced at the screen after hearing this. "They have marks on their arms, like paint marks."
Carl walked over from the direction of the workshop, carrying a wrench. "You shouldn't have opened the door."
"It's already open." Chen Hao walked towards the entrance. "This time, they're not here to beg for entry; they're here to negotiate terms."
The three men didn't move when they saw Chen Hao approaching. The one in the middle put his walkie-talkie into his bag and took half a step forward.
“You’ve taken in quite a few people recently.”
"Yes." Chen Hao leaned against the doorpost. "Those who survived all want to live well."
“We have dozens of people over there, and life isn’t peaceful. I heard you have water purifiers and can produce food steadily.” The man spoke slowly and deliberately. “Could you spare 20% of your resources each month? We’re all survivors, and we should help each other.”
Chen Hao chuckled. "You're talking like you're asking for a share of the profits, not a request for help."
“We can offer manpower in exchange,” the other party said. “Ten people, at your disposal.”
“Then what you lack isn’t people, it’s things.” Chen Hao straightened up. “Do you have the technology to make water purifiers? Can you forge ores to make tools? Can you grow plants that produce jam ingredients?”
No one answered.
"The first thing we do when we take in people is to work," Chen Hao said, pointing towards the workshop behind him. "The furnaces are scorching hot, and the hammers are killing us. Nobody eats for free. You've come empty-handed and expect 20% of the output. What makes you think you deserve that?"
The man's expression changed. "If you keep closing yourselves off like this, you'll get into trouble sooner or later. This area isn't just yours; cooperation is the only way to survive."
“Cooperation is about giving each other things,” Chen Hao said. “You brought nothing but your mouths and a demand. That’s not cooperation, that’s extortion.”
Someone nearby spoke up: "Aren't you afraid of offending people?"
“Yes, I am.” Chen Hao nodded. “I’m afraid no one will bake pancakes for breakfast tomorrow, I’m afraid the new guy won’t know how to turn off the air valve and will blow up the oven, I’m afraid Karl will get angry one day and really pin someone’s hand to the table.” He paused. “But what I’m least afraid of is someone standing at my door and telling me how to spend what I’ve earned myself.”
The man sneered. "You've made things lively now, with more people, more lights, and a full warehouse... But in lively places, there are always people who want a piece of the pie."
Chen Hao didn't move.
"You won't last long," the man said as he turned away. "When you can't keep up with the workload, you'll naturally have to give in."
After the door closed, the command area was quiet for a few seconds.
Susan walked out of the monitoring room, a notebook in her hand. "They're testing the limits. They don't say things like that casually; someone must have discussed it behind the scenes."
Carl placed the wrench on the table. "The perimeter sensors need to be checked. It's no coincidence that those three were deliberately avoiding the infrared sensors while walking."
Nana was replaying the recorded conversation when a line of text popped up in the corner of the screen: [External contact risk assessment in progress → Initial level: Yellow].
Chen Hao sat down, picked up a pen, drew a circle on the paper, and then drew a few lines connecting it.
“The people who came before were so hungry they could barely walk, but their eyes lit up when they saw the water purifier,” he said. “These people are different. They know what we have, and they know how to make requests in a way that makes people hesitate.”
“They’re watching the reaction,” Susan said. “If we agree this time, they’ll ask for 30% or 40% next time, until we become their supplier.”
“This isn’t the first time.” Nana pulled up the map. “In the past three days, there have been four abnormal tracks of mobile signals in the vicinity, all of which briefly stopped within five kilometers of the base.”
“They’re scouts,” Carl said. “There are others waiting for news.”
Chen Hao stared at the lines on the paper for a long time. Then he tore off the page, folded it in half, and stuffed it into his pocket.
"Experience Day is suspended."
Susan looked up. "What about the new recruits? There are still more than twenty on the list waiting to come next week."
“Training will continue as usual, but it will no longer be open to the public,” Chen Hao said. “All rotation tests must be proctored by veteran members, and entry and exit from the workshop and storage room must be recorded by two people.”
“The tool cabinet needs to be locked,” Carl added. “Last time, Li Qiang almost burned down the stove. If someone deliberately sabotages it, they could destroy half a month’s worth of savings in one night.”
"All cameras are now in recording mode." Nana's control panel. "Added facial recognition permission management; outsiders' activity area is restricted to Zone B."
"Add a fence around it with barbed wire," Chen Hao said. "It doesn't need to be very high, but it should be easy for people to tell that it's not easy to get through."
"Are there enough materials?" Susan asked.
“Enough,” Karl answered readily. “The ore reserves are enough to make thirty more chisels, more than enough to convert into a defensive structure. We’ll just have to work overtime.”
“Then let’s work overtime.” Chen Hao stood up. “Before, we just wanted to survive, then we wanted to live a decent life. Now we need to figure out—who decides how we live.”
Susan began compiling a supplies list. Water purification module inventory, food storage days, tool wear and tear rate, power load... each item was re-prioritized.
Nana switched interfaces and started the night patrol program. Four red dots moved slowly across the map, representing the patrol teams about to begin their shifts.
Before leaving, Carl went to the workshop. He put a few spare hammers into a cabinet, tightened the latches, and then pulled down the operating procedure chart on the wall, covering the experience report that was originally posted below.
Chen Hao stood in front of the command console, looking at the base's outline on the monitor screen. The lights were still bright, but the atmosphere had changed. No one was singing in the kitchen, the hammering in the workshop had lost its casual rhythm, and even the footsteps in the corridor were much lighter.
He took out the folded paper, unfolded it, glanced at it, and then put it back.
The next morning, there were no new people lining up at the base entrance.
On the third day, the surrounding cameras captured a modified car stopping two kilometers away, staying for fifteen minutes before leaving.
On the fifth day, Nana discovered a repeating signal on the communication channel. The signal consisted only of digital codes and lasted for thirty seconds before being interrupted.
At the morning meeting, Chen Hao announced: "Starting today, everyone must wear an ID card when entering and exiting. Any lost or forged ID cards will be treated as violations."
Susan updated the emergency manual, adding a new rule: If you find an unfamiliar group of more than five people gathered, report it immediately and do not negotiate on your own.
Carl, along with two veteran members, reinforced the wall. They welded barbed metal strips onto the top, working slowly but ensuring each strip was firmly welded.
On the seventh night, Chen Hao was alone in the controlled area, reviewing the files of newly added population. The light shone on his face, casting a long shadow on the wall.
Nana suddenly spoke up: "I just received an automatic alarm. A heat source was detected moving 20 meters outside the east fence for 47 seconds. It has now disappeared."
Chen Hao closed the folder.
He walked to the window; it was pitch black outside. The wind whistled softly through the barbed wire.
"They will come again."
“It’s not a matter of whether or not,” Nana said, “it’s already on its way.”
Chen Hao didn't say anything more. He picked up the walkie-talkie and pressed the call button.
"Patrol team in area B, take over the shift half an hour early."
A response came from the other end of the walkie-talkie. He released the button and put the device back on the stand.
The lights in the workshop were still on in the distance. Karl's figure flashed past the window, a welding torch in his hand.
Chen Hao turned and walked towards the exit.
His hand had just touched the doorknob when Nana spoke again.
"Audio analysis complete. The tone of their words before they left that day dropped by 0.8 Hz, which is a typical ending to a threatening statement. Determined to be a formal warning."
Chen Hao paused for a moment.
"I know."
He opened the door and went out.
The night breeze felt a little cool on his face. He looked up at the sky; the clouds were thick, and he couldn't see the stars.
Halfway there, he turned toward the storage room.
The door was open, and Susan was packing canned goods into a box.
"Just leave it there," she said. "We'll move it all together tomorrow."
Chen Hao nodded and placed the notebook in his hand on the table.
The cover of the notebook reads: Draft of Patrol Route Adjustment.
He turned to leave, but Susan called him back.
"What if they really bring people to rob us?"
Chen Hao stood at the door, his back to her.
"Then let them see what it means to live a life earned through one's own efforts."
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